Color Theory
by BlueGreenApples
Summary: Canon. SasuSaku. Red was the color of passion, womanhood. Pink was the shade of little girls and delicate things. Next to Karin, Sakura felt like a washed-out imitation.
1. Yellow

**Color Theory**

Prompt: _Fortune favors the bold_

Red was the color of passion, womanhood. Pink was the shade of little girls and delicate things. Next to Karin, Sakura felt like a washed-out imitation.

The rhythmic click of her nin-sandals on the dusty road before her was beginning to grate on Sakura's nerves. Dry soil was wafting up, swirling around her feet and leaving them gritty and tan. Wiggling her toes a little and frowning at the pale film over her pink toe nail polish, she promised herself she'd stop at the next village. She sighed and adjusted her med-pack, scuffing her feet a little as she trudged onward. 

The slight weight of a pair of scrolls strapped on her thigh made her shift her weight a little, allowing the sticky skin beneath them to breath a little better. Though a summoning method was much easier than toting around her actual battleaxe and the coded mission scroll was necessary, the hot July weather made even the slightest things miserable. Tossing a sweaty lock of her pink hair back from her face, she cursed its length. 

Pale strands fell about her face in a spiky style that was flirty and cute but were just short enough to make an efficient ponytail impossible. Knocking the errant piece back once more, she shifted her hiate-e and soldiered on. Maybe she'd let it grow out a little more. Even as the thought entered her mind, she knew she wouldn't. Sakura's short hair was a pointed statement, after all. She refused to be the simpering, feminine little kunoichi she had once been. Her hairstyle, she told herself, was a symbol of that. But, as another maverick bang slipped past her forehead protector, she wondered if it was really worth this much trouble. 

At last, close to an hour later, a town appeared on the heat-hazed horizon. Letting her head fall back in relief, Sakura grabbed her water bottle and allowed herself a triumphant gulp of lukewarm water. Grimacing at its temperature and swiping her hand over her mouth, Sakura sped up her pace. She wanted to make it there by noon, before the sunlight became unbearable. When her tank top slid a little over her back, she felt the beginnings of a sunburn forming on her exposed neck and shoulders. The tight, hot sensation of the effected skin was going to be annoying. She was looking forward to a rest in the village, it would give her time to heal the burns and let the hottest part of the day pass. That thought fresh in her mind, she hurried a little more. 

Sakura knew the moment she walked into the town that something was wrong. It was dead silent. Only a stiff wind whistled as it whirled down the deserted main street. Casting critical green eyes over the seemingly normal storefronts, she slowly reached for her axe's scroll. As she slowly unclasped the roll of parchment, she edged warily toward the nearest building. The gently swaying sign clearly read 'General Store.' Pushing her way swiftly through the swinging doors, she instantly drew a kunai. A blurred movement and the large man attempting to bash her over the head was cleanly disarmed and thrown back into a check-out stand. The heavy pan he'd been wielding clattered to the floor at her feet as she fell into a half-crouch. 

Pointing the sharp tip of the weapon threateningly toward the prone form of the man she'd just thrown, the Leaf kunoichi bit her finger and activated her scroll. Once the massive form of her favored axe was firmly within her grasp, she sheathed her knife at the base of her spine. Still not dropping out of her defensive stance, Sakura hefted the sheathed battleaxe onto her shoulder in a position that made cleaving the massive blade easy. With an even but forceful tone, she asked, "Who are you and why was I just attacked?" 

A loud groan sounded form the rubble that had once been a counter as the man slowly responded. "I own this shop! I thought you were one a them bandits that the guards seen comin' so I made to defend my store." Shakily lifting himself to his feet, the middle aged man yelled, "Now get! Ninja or no, you ain't gonna rob me blind!" 

Sakura swung the enormous form of her axe onto her back, allowing it to hang from her by its strap. Extending her hands in a placating gesture, she soothed, "I'm a Konoha nin, I didn't come to do anything but rest for a little while and restock my supplies." As the man's hostile posture began to relax, she cautiously reached into her pack, producing a small stack of ryuu. "I need some water, sunblock and something to eat. Can you sell me those things?" 

Staring back and forth between the kunoichi's honest stare and wad of money, the man hesitantly nodded. "Y-yeah. I got those things." As he bustled around the darkened store, gathering the things she'd requested, Sakura tried to repair the crushed check-out lane as best as she could. When the man returned with her items in a small basket, she blushed a little sheepishly. "Sorry about your counter. I'll reimburse you once I get home. Can I get your mailing address?" 

The man eyed her a little shrewdly, as if he wondered rather he would really see any compensation but decided it was worth a try. He grumbled an affirmative and slipped a sheet of paper with the information on it into her bag. Taking her offered money, he told her, "Watch out for thugs on the road outta town. Scouts said they seen em comin' through. They wasn't sure if they was just passin' by or stoppin' to start trouble." 

Blinking at his gruff advice, Sakura thanked him. She began to walk out when something made her ask, "What did they look like? The bandits, that is." 

Looking up from his work on the shattered check out, the owner frowned and replied, "They was kinda odd. One ninja lookin' guy with a real big sword and a loud, red-haired lady friend. Soon as they saw the look outs they disappeared, though. We figure they were gettin' back to the main group to let em know they'd been spotted." The man shrugged as he finished, not noticing the strange look on his customer's face. "Like I says, just look after yer self and you'll be alright." Grunting and rubbing his back he muttered, "Sure did a number on me, doubt they'd be able ta get much over on ya." 

Sakura smiled a little forcibly and laughed. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Waving a little and turning back toward the door, she called, "Thank you! I'll mail the rest to you soon." At the man's absent wave, she exited the shop to the sound of a little overhead bell. As she strolled down the lane leading out of town, she thought to herself. 

One _possible_ shinobi with a large sword and a red head did _not _mean that Team Hebi was nearby. Laughing a little at herself, she settled down on a shaded bench toward the edge of the little village and pulled out the food she'd bought. She was just being paranoid. Honestly. Munching thoughtfully and watching a few young women quietly chatter and work in a tailoring shop across the street, Sakura reflected on what brought her to this little town. 

A C-rank mission from Tsunade-shishou to even up her resume for her Jounin exams, this assignment had been a boring solo escort for a paranoid damiyo's daughter. Annoyance made her roll her eyes as she remembered the utter _peacock_ of a girl she'd been working for over the last two weeks. The arrogant heiress was just positive that her embittered rivals were plotting her murder after her engagement to a local lord was announced. Sakura had just spent fourteen days of her life listening to vain monologues and enduring mind-numbing shopping sessions. The trip to pick a wedding kimono, have it fitted and brought back to her client's family estate had dragged beyond belief. She was happy to see the last of the noble girl and be on her way home. 

The scraping sound of a traditional shouji door sliding open made her glance up just in time to see a young boy slip out of the seamstress' store she'd been watching earlier. The child looked hardly old enough to walk and was tottering unsteadily from the low porch in front of the storefront. Sitting indecisively for a moment, Sakura stood when the boy climbed down and started toward the little park that butted up to the forest outside of town. He obviously wasn't old enough to be out by himself. She would just grab him and return him to his mother then be on her way. Hastily shoving her supplies into her pack, the kunoichi jogged after the toddler. 

A flicker of movement in the treeline behind the child made her blood slow to a creep in her veins. When she sped up, still watching the place she'd seen a glint of metal hawkishly, Sakura had almost reached the child when her fears were affirmed. A blur of movement coalesced beside the boy. As her eyes finally made out the shape that had appeared, she gasped at what she saw. The tall Mist-shinobi who traveled with Team Hebi had his enormous blade propped cruelly in front of the child and was squatting down, half concealed behind it in a mock game of peek-a-boo. A sharp toothed grin was enough to frighten the boy into wailing at the top of his little lungs. 

Sakura didn't think she'd ever moved so fast in her life. Before she really remembered telling her legs to move, she was scooping up the toddler and cradling him into her side. Twisting her posture to keep her entire body between the nukenin and the child, the kunoichi began to slowly back away. The still scared little boy was clinging onto her top and screaming when the shinobi processed what had happened. Foggy grey eyes narrowed and he taunted, "Be a little more careful about lettin' your kid wander around, lady." Swinging his large weapon onto his shoulder, he grinned pointedly, "You never know what could happen to him." 

The Leaf kunoichi was about to respond when a sudden jerk nearly made her loose her grip on the little child at her hip. Spinning and kicking out furiously, she hugged the toddler to her belly with both arms as she repelled their attacker. A feminine grunt was heard as the assailant, a red headed kunoichi, was tossed back. Ducking to avoid the Mist-nin's swipe, she rubbed the boy's back consolingly as she sprung toward the relitive safety of the town. 

As she fled, the shinobi called out jeeringly, "Just give us the kid!" With a growl, she hopped onto the nearest rooftop and winced when the cries of the child she was carrying rose in pitch. The heavy slap of her battleaxe against her back was almost enough to make her shout in frustration. What good was her monster strength if she couldn't use it? The tiles beneath her boots ripped up at her abrupt halt as the kunoichi from before landed in her path. While she was holding the child, she didn't even have the option of doing seals. Cursing a little under her breath and jagging around the Hebi member, Sakura began to frantically plan. 

Landing once more on the dusty street of the town, she noticed the frightened faces of the citizens staring at her from the windows. A loud scream made her glance toward the tailoring shop, where she saw a hysterical young woman being restrained by a pair of older ladies. Shooting the woman what she hoped was an encouraging look, Sakura tightened her grip on the crying boy and tried to make her way toward who she assumed was his mother. The huge blade of the Mist shinobi stopped her short as its long blade sank almost half way into the dirt in front of her. The nukenin alighted on the hilt, crouching down to croon, "Hand over the kid. He's just bait to get some supplies. We promise we won't hurt him...much." 

Sakura set her plan into motion. A lightening fast strike freed the senbon she'd been working from her holster and plunged it into his bent knee. The Hebi member yelled and tumbled back from his perch as his entire leg went numb. Vicious curses fell from him as he stumbled, attempting to stand, only to collapse into the dirt. "You bitch!" 

Sakura ignored him in favor of turning to fend off the kunoichi who'd been trying to sneak up on her. This time the girl expected her instinctive round house kick and caught her foot, leaving the Leaf-nin in a tight spot. A quick aerial twist that lifted both her feet from the ground was risky but ultimately effective. However, she didn't expect the kunai that the Sound-nin brought up to meet her landing and only scarcely avoided loosing an eye to the flashing blade. The little child she was still cradling screamed anew at her pained gasp as a long gash bloomed over her cheekbone. 

Freeing one hand from its place beneath the boy's bottom, Sakura swung with all her might in a right hook toward the unprepared and unbalanced kunoichi's face. She had almost landed the hit when the sensation of her extended wrist snapping took her by surprise. A choked sob sounded from the toddler as a hard body pressed his terrified form more tightly against Sakura. The pinkette felt a tiny squeal of pain escape her lips at the feel of her bone breaking cleanly in half, the chakra gathered there refocusing itself on healing rather than magnifying her strength. Tilting her head up to see who had stopped her attack in its tracks, she felt her breath rush from her body. 

Black, black eyes stared back at her. Without looking away from her watering green gaze, Sasuke intoned, "What is the meaning of this, Suigetsu? Karin?" 

Suigetsu snarled from his prone position in the street, "We were gonna get some supplies, like you asked. Except the stupid village was on lock-down, so we figured we'd take a hostage. _This_ bitch got in the way." 

The red head spoke up, "I almost had her, Sasuke-kun! If you hadn't come--" 

Still staring at his shocked former teammate, the Uchiha camly cut in. "You'd be dead." Releasing Sakura's wrist and stepping back, he added, "That punch was more than enough." 

The Konoha kunoichi wanted to smirk, but her face was still stuck in an expression of shock. She knew for a fact that the punch she'd thrown would have rendered _Karin's_ face concave. When her mobility returned, she began to slowly back away from the tall form of her former teammate. Still clutching the young boy who was sniveling, working himself up for another round of tears, Sakura tried her best to shield him bodily from the group of nukenin. She unthinkingly flinched when the child released another gale of cries, and Sasuke took the opportunity to flash-step to her side. 

A large hand gripped her upper arm and a quiet voice spoke just over her head, "Return the child. Come back to this spot." At her hesitant nod, Sasuke released her and she walked quickly toward the still panicking woman she'd spotted earlier. The boy's mother was in tears and thanked the kunoichi profusely before whisking the child indoors. Standing awkwardly for a moment on the now deserted porch, Sakura slowly turned and made her way slowly back to Sasuke. 

Stopping a ways before him, she stared down at her dust-covered toes and waited. When dark nin-sandals and shin braces cut into her line of sight, he spoke again. "What is your mission?" 

Without looking up, she laughed a little and replied, "You know I can't tell you that." Even though she saw his feet blur toward her, Sakura did nothing to fend off her old teammate. At the cool touch of metal against her throat, the kunoichi remained stony. "Torture and threats don't change anything." Slanting the lean shinobi an unreadable glance, she added, "But it has absolutely nothing to do with you." 

The shadows from his longer hair shifted a little around his mouth. "Good." Just as quickly as the blade had come, it went but he did not step back. "Come with me." 

Intelligent eyes narrowed as Sakura analyzed the simple, high-handed order. Go with him? Scathingly, she hissed, "And become a traitor to my Village? No." 

Darkness pooled in a dimple on his cheek, creating a sinister imitation of a smirk. "You weren't so reluctant once." 

Raising her chin, the pinkette bit out, "That was a long time ago." 

The Uchiha gave no indication as to what he thought of that. Instead he tilted a little closer, though his voice reamained flat as he murmured against her sun-warmed hair, "This is no place to discuss this. Come with me." He didn't give her an option as he wrapped one hand insistantly on her elbow and steered her toward the treeline. When his teammates made to follow, he quelled them with a glance. They turned back to the town, presumably to purchase supplies. 

They walked a ways into the woods, stopping at last by a thin stream. When his touch at her elbow retreated, Sakura stepped over to the little brook, watching the clear water trickle over the polished stones. Eyes still locked on the stream bed, she told him, "I have to return to Konoha. I can't stay, I'm so--" The press of a blade at her vulnerable neck stopped her short. 

"You have no choice." 

Frustration bubbled up in the pinkette's chest until it gurgled and rushed like the little brook before her as she turned to face Sasuke. "I don't understand. You've always called me weak. What good could my traveling with you possibly do?" 

The same, monotone voice answered, "You are a proficient medical-nin. I have decided I would like to live past the defeat of my brother." 

A caustic laugh tumbled from Sakura. Rubbing her arms despite the warm weather, she ignored the kusanagi held to her throat when she jibed, "So now I'm useful. I see." She didn't expect any consolations and she didn't receive any. Instead, the elite-nin was silent. Narrowing emerald eyes, the kunoichi spoke again, "Fine. I'll heal you once Itachi is dead." The increased pressure at the hated name caused a tiny trickle of blood to slip down to her tank top. A minor concentration of chakra took care of the cut, and as the green light faded, Sasuke retracted the blade. Sakura wryly wondered if she'd passed whatever test he'd just conducted. 

Her thoughts scattered to the winds as a cool touch ghosted over her cheekbone. "Heal this." 

Blinking for a moment, she finally comprehended what he meant. She'd forgotten all about the gash on her face. Blood had dried from under her eye all the way down to her jawline in a rusty stain. It wasn't particularly deep, but it was still flowing rather alarmingly. Raising one hand to lightly brush the long cut, she slowly repaired the skin. Usually a heal like that would be quick, but facial skin was thin and notoriously easy to scar. Once she was finished, she glanced back up at the shinobi's impassive features. 

He was observing her with a clinical expression, carefully studying the technique she'd used to heal the gash. As she noticed the tomoes of his Sharingnan spinning, she wondered if he'd copied the jutsu. Red faded to black before she could think too much on it and his tall form pivoted and began to walk deeper into the forest. A long moment passed as Sasuke continued into the underbrush and the pinkette remained unmoving. 

At last, the shinobi paused and turned his head slightly as he rested one hand on his blade. The pose was both nonchalant and threatening. Promising, perhaps. Sakura simply wrapped her arms a little tighter around her torso and stumbled after her former teammate. It was fact that she couldn't take Sasuke in a one on one match with her chakra levels. Hugging herself a little harder, she acerbically noted that she probably wouldn't survive a confrontation at her full potential. As she fell into step behind the lean man, she reminded herself that she was just Team Seven's kunoichi tag-along. 

Staring down at her pink toenails, she trailed behind Sasuke and toward the newest twist in her fate. 

* * *

_To Be Continued_

* * *

**Hey everyone! This is a gift fic for my friend, Miko-chan. :3 The next piece will be up soon, and the rating will change further down the line. (I'm planning a lemon! gasp!)**

**Fealty will be updated soon, I promise! The next chapter is being a little difficult, but I'm optimistic it will be out by Monday evening. **

**On a more somber note, it has recently been brought to my attention that another 'author' on this site had plagiarized my story 'Citizen Erased.' I've done my best to notify the authority of the 'TOS' and I hope that the issue will be resolved soon. However, no further Cyberpunk!verse fics will be updated until action is taken. I don't intend to punish my readers and reviewers, I just don't like to see my work stolen. **

**Anyway, MIKO-CHAN IS AWESOME and as always, thank you for reading and please review!**


	2. Grey

**Grey**

As soon as they reached Hebi's temporary camp, Sasuke burned her mission scroll. Sakura watched the parchment curl in the flames for a moment before panic began to seize her. She was betraying Konoha. Tsunade-shihou, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, even Ino-pig would consider her a nukenin. A traitor to the Village. She began to take thoughtless steps back, away from the slowly burning scroll. Away from the campfire. And away from Sasuke.

Dark eyes tracked her movement for a moment before he deigned it necessary to act.

A steely grip caught her upper arm. No words were spoken, but the utterly foreboding look on Sasuke's face was enough to give her pause. He was really serious about her joining him. Making her a part of his team. The pinkette slowly shook her head. "I can't do it. I won't betray Konoha!" As she shouted the name of her beloved home, the kunoichi jerked away from the dark shinobi's grasp. Pacing backward, Sakura continued, "Find another med-nin. There are plenty willing to help your cause, I'm sure."

She didn't see him move. She simply felt the air pressure in front of her suddenly drop, causing a slight breeze as air rushed to fill the empty space. His slightly deepened tone startled her when it sounded at her ear. He had moved to hover behind her, close but not touching.

"If you run, I will hunt you down. You have no choice. You are staying." When the pinkette drew in breath to protest, he leaned a little closer, until his breath stirred the hairs near her cheek. "Do not test me, Sakura. Or the next time I see the idiot...I won't be so lenient."

Her defiance drained away with the implied threat and her face paled. She'd seen the way he moved now. Naruto, even with all his training, wouldn't stand a chance. Not against the Uchiha's sheer _speed_. Instead, she raised her hands to her head. He moved away as her elbow came into contact with his bare chest. Sakura didn't pause. The wear-softened fabric of her forehead protector met her searching fingers and she tugged until the practical knot came loose. Gazing down at the shiny, spiral symbol of the Hidden Leaf, she let the slight weight of the metal plate pull itself through her numb fingers.

As the band made contact with the forest floor, she felt her stomach drop to her toes. She would not put a scratch through her Village's mark, for she wasn't leaving of her own violation. Sakura's eyes broke away from the tragic scrap of metal and fabric as she reasoned that she just couldn't bear it proudly as she assisted someone who had.

Sasuke watched with a cold gaze as the kunoichi discarded her hiate-e. The light _clink_ of it falling to the dirt didn't change his expression. He watched, unmovingly, as Sakura stepped quietly over her fallen headband. When she sat stiffly next to the still roaring fire, eyes fixated on the flames, he finally made his move. Crouching silently, he retrieved the forehead protector and tucked it into his nearby pack. The pinkette didn't look back to ask why, nor he didn't bother himself for an explanation. He simply did as he pleased. As the sounds of his remaining teammates' return became more and more apparent, he melted back once more to the shadows. He was curious how the three would interact.

A loud crunch of branches underfoot drew near and a female voice hissed, "I _could_ have taken her! I could have! Ugh!"

Breezily, a mid-level baritone replied, "Sure you could've, Karin." A loud slurping sound followed the dead pan speech.

There was a slight commotion as Karin shouted, "And stop it with that water bottle already! If it needs to be refilled than do it! I hate when you just keep doing that!"

A distinctly more condescending amusement entered Suigetsu's tone. "Are you still sure you could've landed a hit on that little kunoichi? You can't even get a hold of this bottle!"

There was a frustrated scream and a small yelp before the laughing form of the Mist-nin burst into the clearing, half-tripping as he went. "Kicking me doesn't get you any closer to getting the bottle, you know. You're loosing sight of the goal with all your emotions. What would Sasuke-san say?"

The now fuming red head appeared from the shadowed trees as well. Shaking a fist, she railed, "Don't speak for him! You have no-" She cut herself off at the flash of pink she noticed near the campfire. "You!"

Sakura didn't turn, nor respond. She just continued to stare blankly forward with a mostly neutral expression. Only a slight shift of her right hand indicated she'd even heard the outburst. When heavy steps approached her unprotected back, the pinkette continued to sit still. The same voice dropped an octave and sneered, "What are _you_ doing here?"

When the smaller girl still didn't react, Karin narrowed her red eyes. Raising her foot to prod the curved back of the enemy nin, she only narrowly escaped having a senbon gouged into her ankle. As she hopped back, resettling her foot, Karin looked to Suigetsu who'd caught the girl's wrist.

He pressed a finger into the muscle below her thumb until Sakura was forced to drop her needle. As it fell, the former Mist shinobi growled, "I'm really getting tired of that little trick of yours." Grey eyes flicked pointedly toward his knee before he quipped, "It hurts, you know?"

The Leaf kunoichi just nodded slowly and retracted her hand from his loosened grip. She didn't need to make friends, but it wouldn't do her any good to make enemies. Drawing in a slow breath, she mumbled, "Just rub the muscle I hit down, it'll free it up. I didn't use a dosed senbon."

The nukenin, who'd stood to walk limpingly away, stopped and shot the kunoichi a strange look. After a moment, he nodded. Slurping from his water bottle, he amended, "I barely feel it now, anyway."

Sakura smiled faintly and turned back toward the fire. Sasuke's voice rang out from behind her. He'd stepped back into the camp, then. "Where are the supplies?"

Heat from the fire was making her face feel tight and hot as she continued to sit before it, listening quietly. Karin's voice answered, "We couldn't get any. _That_ is responsible." Sakura assumed that she was being pointed toward. Slight annoyance rose in her chest as she jibed, "Or maybe it's because you tried to kidnap a child." She laughed a little, "In my book, that doesn't usually inspire hospitality, but I'm a little old fashioned."

Green eyes sharpened in concentration as she heard footfalls approach her once again. Before they came close enough for any sort of physical blow, a low voice said flatly, "Karin." The steps ceased. She heard an intake of breath, as though the kunoichi was going to protest, when Sasuke spoke again. "Sakura will go to the village and purchase supplies."

The pinkette stood and rounded on her new 'team leader.' Setting her face into a blank mask, she began with only a slightly annoyed air, "I joined under the guise of being a medical specialist, not an errand runner."

A slow smirk and Sasuke said levelly, "I remember no such stipulation." He stepped closer, purposely towering over her diminutive form. "Do as I say."

Her blank look flashed quickly into a stormy frown. She said nothing further, only made to brush pointedly past the dark shinobi. The Uchiha allowed her to bump bodily into him, muttering as she passed, "Make sure you return quickly. For _Naruto-kun's_ sake."

Sakura paused for a moment at the sarcastic suffix before moving once more, moodily grabbing a wad of ryuu from a confused Suigetsu. She didn't bother to grab her pack, she simply stomped off toward the little town.

Life had begun to trickle into the dusty streets now that the 'bandits' had passed through. Sakura stood at the end of the little main drag for a moment before she decided to head back to the general store she'd used earlier. Her feet carried her quickly and soon the tinkle of the bell above the door greeted her ears. The gruff man from before looked up sharply and seemed surprised to see her again.

Sakura just kept her eyes downcast as she stepped up to the still half-smashed counter. Tapping her fingers on the ledge, she mumbled the list Suigetsu had shouted after her. "I'd like two canteens, a filter and three pre-packaged meals." Glancing behind the large man to the shelf full of jarred medical supplies, she added, "And some peppermint oil. Um, ten ounces is fine."

As the store owner slowly packed the supplies into a cheep, woven basket, he wrapped the final order carefully in a square of cloth. Once everything was placed inside, he took her payment and rang up the purchases. As he handed her the change, he kept a firm grip on the bills and asked, "Do ya need me ta send any letters for ya today?"

Sakura looked up at the abnormally kind request from the man and slanted a look to the wooden box next to the register marked 'Post.' Maybe, if she could get a message back to Konoha...A sudden glint against the glass display behind the salesman's head made her think twice. The shadowy form on the roof of the building across the street was reflected waveringly on the smooth surface. She somehow doubted she was seeing the shadow of a chimney.

Refocusing her eyes on the cashier, she shook her head and smiled a litte. "Thank you, but no." His grip on the ryuu slackened and she tucked the remaining money into her pocket. Biting her lip, she grabbed the basket and shuffled toward the door. As she began to push the door open, he called, "Ma'am?"

Sakura paused and faced the man once more. "Yes?"

Coughing a little, he asked in a gravelly tone, "Wha was yer name again?" At her surprised expression, he clarified, "I wanna make sure I get that money, after all."

A gleam of hope entered her jade eyes as she replied, "I'm Uchiha Sakura. From Hidden Leaf. I didn't want to...break your counter that is." Before anymore could be said, she hastily exited the shop.

She was just out of view of the town when a figure alighted beside her. Sakura didn't bother to look up from the path. She already knew who it was.

Sasuke's distinct tone stated rather than questioned, "You told him something."

Her features betrayed nothing as she denied it. "I didn't."

He was suddenly before her, blocking her path. "Then why did you hesitate?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows, she had been correct about him watching her from the opposite side of the street. Thinking quickly, she fibbed, "He told me to 'have a nice day.' I stopped to wish him the same."

Black eyes were reduced to slits as the shinobi decided rather or not he believed her. When he was silent, Sakura moved around him, continuing toward the clearing. Glancing up through the canopy toward the setting sun, she questioned, "We'll be staying here for the night?" She saw his small nod out of the corner of her eye and adjusted her grip on the thin basket handle.

Soon the pair had reached the place they'd be staying for the night. Sakura dropped down next to her pack and unloaded the supplies from her basket. Once everything was emptied out, she scooped up the bundle of linen that was the little bottle she'd purchased. Pulling the square of coarse fabric free from the glass, storing it in her pack before she glanced around for the Mist-nin. She found him polishing his large blade nearby. Standing and pacing to his side, she offered the oil to him and said, "It's peppermint, if you put a little on your hand when you massage your knee, it'll help get rid of the ache."

When both the white haired shinobi and Karin stared at her, she added, "It'll keep that from becoming a welt by tomorrow, too." As she spoke, she gestured to the growing purple splotch on the Sound kunoichi's exposed stomach. The spot where she'd kicked her during the fight had begun to bruise heavily. Even the pattern of her boot's sole was discernible. Karin just scoffed and crossed her arms over the spot, while Suigetsu hesitantly accepted the little vial.

Sakura gave a lopsided half-smile at the shinobi's barely uttered thanks. She ignored Sasuke's heavy stare as she settled back down next to her pack and began to reverse the weave of the basket she'd gotten in the village. His thoughts on her buying the ointment didn't bother her, anyway. He'd asked her to act as the team's med-nin and that was just what she was doing.

A rustle of fabric and a heavy thunk made her pause in her work. Looking up, she was surprised to find Suigetsu crouched down beside her, watching her hands. After a moment, she continued her tedious task of unravelling the basket. His curious voice made her jump a little.

"What are you doing?"

Slanting him a glance from the corner of her eye, Sakura continued her motions as she replied, "I'm making my own supplies. I'm a med-nin."

Grey eyes remained a little confused as he observed her work. "I figured. What sort of supplies are those going to be?" He asked his second question and pointed vaguely toward the thin wooden strips she'd salvaged so far.

A small smile tilted her lips. His relentless demeanor reminded her slightly of someone at home. "They'll be slats or braces. They're a little small, so they'll probably only be good for fingers or wrists."

The pale shinobi settled back onto his ankles before sliding into a sitting position beside her. "As long as you aren't making anymore damn needles." Her little laugh made him smirk as he rolled up his pant leg to apply the oil she'd bought. The strong scent of the peppermint concoction filled her nose as he dabbed a small drop onto his palm before shoving the stop back into the bottle. She watched with amusement as he considered the red, inflamed skin at the side of his knee cap. "Is something the matter?"

Before he could answer, Sakura pressed a single, chakra-laden finger into the pin prick she'd put on his leg earlier. Smirking, she quipped, "There. Now it won't sting."

Suigetsu 'tsk'd and rubbed the liquid vigorously onto his leg. "That wasn't why I waited." At her disbelieving look, he shouted, "It wasn't!"

The pinkette quieted and asked in a drawl, "Then why did you?"

The nukenin just glared at her a little and sniffed, "I was deciding rather or not I trusted something you gave me."

Sakura sobered instantly. Nodding, she muttered, "I see."

Jerking his pant leg back down, Suigetsu joked, "No need to get all mopey again. Believe me, it's nice to have someone half-sane and not bitchy to talk to. I was just saying-"

"I understand. It's fine." Sakura glanced across the campfire to find Sasuke sitting dependently on a fallen log, the red head from before close at his side. His eyes were locked onto hers.

Following her somber gaze, the grey-eyed teen snarked, "Now you're really starting to act like Karin." Tugging his heavy sword onto his lap, he asked rhetorically, "What's so irresistible about that guy, anyway?"

Ignoring his barb, Sakura picked up the small vial and made to take it to the other injured ninja. Suigetsu's absent voice stopped her. "Don't bother. She won't use it."

Green eyes flickered to the pale shinobi as she asked, "Why is that?"

Suigetsu raised a single brow. "She doesn't like you." The pinkette blinked at his frank assessment. Either way, it was her responsibility to see to the kunoichi's health. The shinobi's quiet tone gave her pause for a second time as he stage whispered, "She probably thinks Sasuke likes you or something." He rolled his eyes. "That always makes her _super_ bitchy."

When the petite kunoichi sat back down, Suigetsu added thoughtfully, "He has been staring at you an awful lot." He gave her a crooked grin. "Maybe she's onto something."

Sakura just watched as Karin tried unsuccessfully to feed her new team leader some rice from her plate. A morbid sense of deja vu flooded over her. It was almost painful irony. Turning back to her companion, she laughed, "Hardly. He's just making sure I don't try and run for it."

Nodding sagely, the swordsman allowed, "I suppose. How do you two know each other anyway?"

At his blunt question, Sakura blanched. "You're the most talkative nin I've met in a long while, you know that?"

He just shrugged unrepentively. "Like I told you, I've been starved of decent conversation for a while. So how?"

The kunoichi just sighed and condensed, "We were in the same Genin squad."

Suigetsu looked genuinely intrigued. His eyebrows leapt up as he asked, "Really? Huh. I knew that blonde freak was, but you've never come up before."

Sakura narrowed her eyes a little at his name for Naruto, but simply agreed, "I'm sure I haven't. He doesn't like me much."

"If you say so." Suigetsu looked up to his normally absent team leader, sitting quietly in plain sight and reiterated, "If you say so."

* * *

**Yay for Sakura / Suigetsu bonding! :D This chapter's a bit of a filler, just to set up some bonds and situations that'll come into play later. A little boring (I tried for some humor) but necessary.**

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**Next chapter up by Thursday! **

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	3. Blue

**Blue**

A stiff, cool breeze woke Sakura from her sleep. Pink strands were swept up by the wind and sent skittering across her slack features. She scrunched her nose and batted them away. After all, she had all the time she needed to get back to Konoha. An insistent little bell began to toll in her mind at the thought of her Village. Sluggishly, her half-dozing mind tried to piece together what made the morning so special. Dark eyes and the image of a snake made her eyes jolt open. She was with Team Hebi.

Sitting up slowly from her bedroll and carefully rubbing the sand from the corners of her eyes, the pinkette cast a glance toward the horizon. The dark, midnight blue of nighttime was giving way to a lighter shade and a pale glow was just becoming apparent in the east. Daybreak. A deep breath to cleanse her mind of its sleepy lull brought the scent of rain to her nose. Sighing, she quietly began her day. It seemed it was going to be a wet, travel filled one. More than a little sarcastically, she mused, 'I just can't wait!'

Once her sleeping mat was tucked into a thin roll, she securely buckled it the the bottom of her medical pack. She methodically checked all of the buckles and snaps, assuring that each one was fastened and that her stock was satisfactory. Her check complete, she grabbed her smaller supply bag and fished around a moment for something to eat. The slightly oily, porous skin of an orange met her questing fingers. As she sat, peeling the citrus fruit, she checked up on the other inhabitants of the camp.

Across the fire, Suigetsu was sprawled haphazardly. His arms were thrown wide and he was half off of his own mat, mouth wide open. Tangled silver hair stuck up in all directions under his head but a slight twitch of his sword hand when she shifted told her that he wasn't as deep a sleeper as he appeared. Karin was curled up on her bedroll close to the base of a tree at the edge of the clearing. Her dark-rimmed glasses were perched on her nearby pack and Sakura could clearly make out the outline of the bruise she'd left on the kunoichi's belly. Medical instinct told her that for the injury to be so livid, there must have been at least slight muscle or perhaps internal damage done. Green eyes sharpened with resolve as she reasoned that even a muscle-deep bruise was enough to tilt the scale in a battle. Any trained ninja knew to use existing ailments to their advantage. One swift punch to the other girl's stomach would easily stun her, if not knock her breath away. Sakura needed to find a way to convince Karin to let herself be healed. It was her duty as a med-nin.

A chakra reading so strong it was nearly a physical touch registered in her mind so quickly it was nearly disorienting. Not turning to greet the newcomer, Sakura popped an orange slice into her mouth, chewing and swallowing before addressing them. "Good morning, Sasuke." She didn't receive an answer, nor did she expect one. Rather the shinobi settled with near silent movements onto the log she was propped against. He was close enough to hear the slow hiss of the orange's flesh as she separated it slowly into eight or so sections. Raising an eyebrow engagingly, she motioned one of the slices toward him in a silent offer. A slow shake of his head made her shrug and return to her breakfast. She ate slowly, refusing to be unnerved by his unwavering stare.

She was down to three pieces when Suigetsu began to stir. The Mist nukenin mopped a hand over his face, rubbing a little roughly as he yawned, "_'Mmm_...a...wake." He groaned a little as he stretched. Once he returned his arms to his sides, he cast about the camp to see who else was up. A brief nod her way and a double-take later, he had latched his eyes onto the slices in her palm. His foggy eyes cleared almost comically at the sight of the fruit in Sakura's hand. Rolling limberly to his feet, he was at the kunoichi's side in an instant. He plopped down exaggeratedly in the dirt next to her, asking slyly, "You gonna finish that?"

Smiling, Sakura just handed him the remaining orange. Her eyes widened a little at how quickly he downed the snack. With a slight laugh, she asked, "I take it that you like them?"

Suigetsu sucked the last of the juice from his fingers and questioned, "Oranges?" At her nod, he replied, "Oh yeah! Anything with a lot of juice. And water."

The pinkette nodded and mentally catalogued the information. Brushing her hands against her thighs to knock of any clinging bits of peel, she stood and gathered the inedible remains of her meal. She tossed them into the smoldering fire and paused, inhaling the citrus tinged smoke for a moment. Once the pleasant scent had passed, she looked to the only member of the group who remained sleeping. Shouldn't someone wake her? Casting a glance back toward the two shinobi on the log behind her, she decided she'd do it herself. She didn't see the sharp-toothed nin begin to protest or the warning look Sasuke gave him in response.

She only saw the long, red locks of the former Sound kunoichi begin to shift as she approached. Perhaps she wouldn't have to wake her after all. The vibrations of her footfalls on the forest floor may have been enough. Her theory was disproved when she stopped near the kunoichi's bedroll without her rousing. Drawing within arms length of the slumbering girl, Sakura called, "Karin?"

The red head sucked in a deep breath and rolled over, beginning to sit up, only to wince and freeze. Medical instinct kicked in and the pinkette crouched down, hovering a chakra gloved hand over the injured female's stomach. The procedure was complete within a minute or two and reddish eyes were squinting up at her face. Karin groped around for her glasses, keeping one hand on her newly repaired skin. Once they were in place and she could see clearly, she sneered, "Well?...Surely you don't expect a thank you or anything."

Sakura just smiled a razor-sharp grin and fenced, "I would never hold you up to the same moral standard to which I hold others." Considering the rival kunoichi, she concluded, "That would be a waste of both of our time."

Before the indignant girl could respond, a smooth voice cut in. "We're leaving." Sakura just cocked one pink brow and spun on her heel. A victorious smirk was still clinging to her face when she reached her supplies. Suigetsu's amused voice reached her ears as she strapped her kunai holster around her hips like a belt. Spinning it until the sheath was settled at the bottom of her spine, she smiled a little wider when he said, "Well, well. Pinky's got claws."

Curving her fingers into talons, she playfully swiped at the shinobi before scooping up her large medical bag and swinging it onto her shoulders. Once she fastened the support straps above her chest and under her ribs, she quipped in the third person, "And she doesn't appreciate being called _Pinkey_, either." She grabbed her smaller pack and shrugged it on below her medical one.

Pale eyebrows arched at the sight of the heavily laden petite female. "Isn't that a little much for you?"

Sakura snorted in an ungainly manner, "I can smash boulders with my little finger. I don't even feel these."

"All the more reason to call you Pinky, Pinky." Suigetsu smiled, proud of his wit. Face faltering when he failed to get a rise out of the kunoichi, the shinobi pressed, "What? Not even a snicker? Pinky, pinkey...Get it? I thought it was good."

Sakura shot him an exaggeratedly exasperated look. "Of course you did."

The grey eyed shinobi gasped dramatically and continued to bicker with her for over and hour until a surly comment from Sasuke silenced the party. Travelling in silence made the scenery more prominent in the pinkette's focus. Tall, thin trees and frequent streams and ponds dominated the landscape. They were approaching the border of Fire Country where it met the Land of Rain. Possible scenarios swirled through her mind as she tried to remember any political or underground movements in the area. Nothing came immediately to mind.

Pinning her gaze on Sasuke's back as they tree hopped, she wondered what would take him to Hidden Rain. A clap of thunder overhead punctuated the thought in her mind. The kunoichi frowned and reached back to unfasten a long, deep pocket on her pack without breaking her stride. Nimble fingers found the hood of her cloak and pulled it free. Allowing the folds of white fabric to billow out behind her, she deftly swung it to wrap around her torso. She flicked the hood into place just as the first wave of raindrops began to drip onto the leaves around her.

Suigetsu snorted from his position beside her. Casting a quick glance toward their team leader's form, he decided to risk it and jibed, "What's the matter, Pinky? Afraid of a little rain?"

Sakura just pulled a face and jumped agilely to the next tree. The Mist shinobi laughed quietly at her childish response and threw his arms wide as if to welcome the rain. Karin huffed loudly as they passed her, paused on a thick branch to retrieve her own cloak from her pack. Suigetsu just caught the pinkette's attention and rolled his eyes. It was Sakura's turn to laugh then.

Her lightened mood didn't last long. She made her next jump without looking and nearly paid for it in bruises. Catching herself abruptly after nearly slamming into Sasuke's stilled form, she made to question him. She didn't get the chance. His hand, raised in a gesture for silence, made her scowl. Before she could say anything, he murmured, "There's something in the rain."

Intelligent jade eyes widened from their glaring slits to better scan the thin veil of falling droplets around them. Cold fog had rolled into the forest out of nowhere. A scream made her hair stand on end and her kunai was in her hand as she hit a half-crouch. A flicker of white and Sasuke was on her other side, growling something lowly to Suigetsu. A serious expression stole over the Mist shinobi's features as he nodded, drawing his enormous blade. Another flash and Sasuke was gone, dissappeared into the eerie fog of rain. Something heavy settled into her stomach as she turned to her remaining teammate and whispered, "Where's Karin?"

The silver haired man just shook his head and held a finger to his lips. When Sakura nodded, he pointed to the thicker part of the branch on which she stood, near where it joined the trunk. He drew in invisible line back and forth between her and the spot then raised his eyebrows. The pinkette took the que and picked her way silently toward the place he'd indicated. Pressing her pack-laden back against the wood behind her, Sakura watched silently as Suigetsu squeezed his fingers into a fist in an order for her to stay still. Once he was sure she understood, the shinobi hefted his sword onto his shoulders and pushed off of her branch, settling quietly onto the one directly above it.

An abrupt clang of steel on steel and a masculine shout made Sakura jump. Emerald eyes darted to the vague area she thought the sound originated. Another clash of swords and she heard Karin's voice scream something indiscernible. Then there was silence. Above her, she heard the Mist shinobi stir. She watched as he paced out onto the thinner reaches of his perch as if he was scouting to see what had happened. A strong, cool voice cut through the gloom. Sasuke didn't have to shout to be heard in the tense atmosphere, but there was something commanding in his tone that made Sakura edgy. His call of "Suigetsu" didn't give the impression that the danger had passed...in fact, it somehow conveyed the opposite.

The pinkette's muscles were clenching as she started to fall into a defensive position when a tight formation of senbon sank into her left arm. A soft sound, between a gasp and a scream of pain, escaped her lips. Another clang, much closer this time, was heard. A commotion on the branch above her filtered down to her ears as Suigetsu scrambled to her side. Lurching forward, her nose impacted the shinobi's chest as he appeared in front of her.

His worried questions were slurred together in her suddenly muddled mind. Distantly, she knew that was bad. Very bad. Deeply ingrained training began to kick in as adrenaline raced through her system, helping to speed her sluggish motions. Muttering a little to herself, she fumbled for a side pocket of her medical pack, she clumsily drew a powdery substance in a small vial. She raised the tube to her lips, uncorking it with her teeth and spitting out the top. Shifting her weight backwards and weaving alarmingly, she told Suigetsu, "Pull em...out."

The shinobi took in Sakura's suddenly clammy expression and dilated eyes and swiftly tugged the cluster of three needles from her upper arm. Taking the vial she shoved into his hand, he sprinkled the contents onto the pricks, as she instructed him. A handful of tense moments later and Sakura was able to stand on her own. Locking her eyes onto the shinobi's grey ones, Sakura hissed, "Hunter nin. No one else uses that sort of poison on senbon."

Suigetsu didn't look surprised, he just nodded and spun quickly when a thump landed on the branch behind him. A tall, lean man in a red and white mask and long black robes stared back at them. A blur of steel and black fabric and the shinobi were locked in combat. Sakura righted her posture and drew her kunai, ready to approach the pair when Sasuke swooped onto the Hunter Nin in a flash of impossibly fast swipes. The robed man was hard pressed to hold off the pair of swordsmen and was soon struck by Sasuke's kusanagi. Even as a long, shallow gash bloomed over nearly the length of the ninja's torso, he continued to parry and jab at his duo of opponents. A massive swing of Suigetsu's blade fell short, though and gave the Hunter the opening he'd been waiting for. As the heavy sword sank deeply into the earth, the darkly cloaked man kicked out viciously, catching a sidetracked Suigetsu under the chin. As the Mist nin fell back, dazed, the Hunter advanced.

The man should have known better than to leave his back open, even for in instant, to a ninja of Sasuke's speed. A vertical slash of the Uchiha's kusanagi and the man was stumbling sideways, away from Suigetsu. None of the combatants expected the feral roar that ripped through the damp forest a moment later. A huge man in a bulky wrap of some sort blindsided the Hunter nin from the left, lifting the shinobi bodily and flinging him into a row of trees as if he weighed nothing. The raging man didn't stop there, instead he descended on the broken man, grabbing him again and making to toss him for a second time. When Sasuke appeared in his path, sending him a bone-chilling glare, the enormous man stopped immediately. Words were spoken, though they were too soft for Sakura to hear from her branch, and the newcomer dropped the Hunter nin to the ground at her team leader's feet.

Sakura alighted from the tree she'd been perched in, joining Suigetsu and Sasuke on the forest floor. Watching confusion, the pinkette turned to Suigetsu and asked lowly, "Who is _that_?," while motioning toward the berserker who'd arrived only moments ago.

Finally freeing his large sword, Suigetsu cursed and kicked its dull edge ruefully before replying, "_That_ is Juugo." When the petite girl continued to stare at him, awaiting further information, he sighed. "Remember when I said I didn't have anyone not bitchy or half-sane to talk to?" Sakura nodded and Suigetsu clarified, "He inspired the 'half-sane' part of that statement." Swirling his finger around his temple, he made the universal gesture for 'coo-coo' and pointed to the hulking figure.

Sakura's lips formed an 'O.' Leaving her new friend to mutter to himself about sharpening his 'damn sword,' the pinkette paced over to where the body of the Hunter Nin lay. Sasuke pinned her with a stern look before she got too close. Ignoring his stare, she edged a little closer, trying to make out the symbol on the corpse's starkly painted mask. A warning tone sounded over her head. "Sakura. Stop."

Sending the former Leaf shinobi a defiant look, Sakura stepped closer. The hand that gripped her upper arm made her gasp in pain. Sasuke had pressed his thumb into the still weeping senbon wounds she'd sustained earlier. The pressure on the wound eased almost as soon as the sound left her mouth. The pinkette attempted to back away but was kept in place by another hold, this one further down her arm.

Splaying his fingers to study the mix of blood and antidote on his skin, Sasuke asked at length, "When did this occur?"

Sakrua flexed her chakra and quickly healed the small lesions. The dark haired shinobi watched the green glow flare under his gaze then recede. He continued to stare expectantly until she finally answered, "Earlier, after you disappeared to find him." She nodded toward the collapsed Hunter Nin.

Dark eyes remained locked on her own until he lifted her arm as if to inspect the spot she'd healed. "What Village..." She trailed off when his intense regard returned, and tried again a moment later, "What Village was the nin from?"

Sasuke seemed to analyze the question for a moment before Suigetsu's voice broke in. "He was after me." Sakura turned halfway to face the shinobi, who kicked the fallen man in the side. "The bastard was from Mist."

The pinkette nodded. That explained the freezing fog that'd descended so suddenly and the foregin poison on the needles. Sasuke's voice from behind her refocused her attention on him. He released her and intoned, "See to the others." Without another word, he stooped to grab the Hunter's cloak and hauled his body into the shadow of the trees.

Suigetsu looked to Sakura and informed her, "Karin is under a tree a few meters from here. Sasuke says the Hunter got her first. She's knocked out, he wasn't sure if there was a concussion or not."

Nodding, Sakura made to follow the lean Mist nukenin. She was surprised when golden, bashful eyes locked onto her as the man Suigetsu had called Juugo asked her, "You're a medical ninja?" When she replied affermitively, he sighed, "You're lucky."

Unsure what to make of the cryptic response, the kunoichi just smiled and agreed. "I guess I am."

The berserker just nodded and mumbled something about 'good chakra contol' before extending his hand toward her. Sakura skirted back a little at the sudden advance. Juugo's yellow eyes widened apologetically as he said, "I'm sorry, I just...I broke it when I, um...And-"

"Oh." The pinkette laughed a little nervously, "I just didn't know what to expect! It's fine...Here, let me have a look at it." The mountainous shinobi smiled widely and offered her his proportionally large hand. Supporting the limb as well as she could, she inspected his injury and concluded, "It looks like a pretty clean break, I'm going to have to set it though. Would you like to pull it back into line yourself or do you want me to do it?" Experience with elite ninja who didn't do well with pain, inflicted for their benefit or not, made her ask that question.

Juugo just smiled strangely again and decided to realign the bone himself. Sakura paled when he jerked his digit ruthlessly into line, curse marks leaking over his face a little as the bones snapped into place. A deep breath later they disappeared and he extended his hand toward the small girl again, inquiring, "Is this right? Or should I do it again?"

Taking his hand carefully, Sakura hurriedly assured him, "No! No, it's fine." She shot him an encouraging smile. The large shinobi smiled shyly in return. Looking back to the task at hand, she gloved her pointer and middle fingers in healing energy. She caught the injured digit between her glowing ones and carefully traced the path of the bone. After a moment, she released his hand and reached into her pack and produced one of the small braces she'd prepared the day before and a roll of thin bandages. As she wrapped his finger, she explained to Juugo, "I healed it for the most part, but I'm going to stint it for tonight and finish it in the morning." Tucking the end of the roll into a previous layer to tie it off, she concluded, "That'll keep it from aching as much as a full heal. But if it bothers you at all, just let me know and I'll take another look at it. Okay?"

Juugo smiled widely and nodded. When she turned to follow Suigetsu once more, she heard him quietly thank her. Beaming him a grin over her shoulder, Sakura fell into step beside the lean Mist shinobi. Once they were suitably distanced from the strange team member, she turned to him and whispered urgently, "I see what you mean about him. He's-"

"Crazy?" Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Told you." A moment later, the pair reached the tree that Karin was collapsed beneath. She was sitting a little listingly against the trunk, as though she'd been placed there in a hurry. The sharp-toothed nin commented, "Well, here we are. Do your thing."

Sakura gave him a flat look, and the pinkette made her way to the unconscious kunoichi's side. She mumbled to herself, "Even though she won't appreciate it..." as she placed her hands on either side of the girl's head. Frowning in concentration, she noted, "No concussion. Just a minor gash on her forehead. She must have fainted." A quick inspection of the rest of her revealed nothing and the petite Leaf nin made quick work of the slash.

Suigetsu just snorted. "She's such a lightweight."

Green eyes didn't meet his as the medical specialist drawled, "Well Sasuke obviously sees _something_ in her."

Silver eyebrows raised at the generally laid-back kunoichi's suddenly acerbic tone. Perhaps there was more to her relationship with Sasuke than he had first assumed. Crossing his arms and allowing Sakura to heal the bruise under his chin, he tested the waters. "You don't have to sound quite so bitter about it."

A deft jab at the tender skin of his jaw made him wince. Eyes watering, he decided to hedge the idea a little more carefully in the future. Obviously it was a touchy subject. Watching the pretty features of the little Leaf kunoichi darken with some emotion, Suigetsu decided that he had to know just what was going on between the two. The undercurrents were virtually stifling. Another harsh prod followed his resulting smirk and he yelped. Tearing his chin out of the short girl's grip, he rubbed his face and groused, "I didn't even say anything that time."

The pinkette just glared at him and cocked one hand on her hip. "You were thinking it."

Suigetsu just huffed and pretended to let the whole thing drop. As the kunoichi turned to lift Karin onto her back with eerie ease, the Mist nukenin thought to himself, 'Things are definitely getting more interesting around here.'

* * *

**END CHAPTER THREE: BLUE.**

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	4. Pink

**Pink**

"Sasuke?" A dark eyed stare met Juugo's golden one. "Are we continuing as planned? Or has the new kunoichi replaced Karin in the arrangement?"

The look that stole across his team leader's face at the question was enough to make the berserker regret asking. Lowly, the Leaf nukenin replied, "She has no part in the plan."

Juugo nodded, eager to let the subject pass. He was unaware that the pinkette who'd joined the team in his absence was an off-limits conversation topic. Instead he tried, "I made the reservations, as you asked. Everything is prepared for when we arrive."

Sasuke nodded, turning away from the other shinobi in a silent dismissal. Juugo didn't waste time dropping to the forest floor where the rest of the team had made camp. Hesitantly, he approached the newest addition to the group. She stood, rechecking Suigetsu's bruises near where Karin was starting a fire. The sun had not yet sunk from the sky, but she was having a difficult time getting a good look at the Mist shinobi's injuries in the waning light. Clicking her tongue, she reached blindly for a pouch on her lumbar and withdrew a small flashlight. She bit the small device between her teeth and finished up her work on Suigetsu. Juugo wasn't close enough to hear what was said, but was a little envious of the obviously mutual camaraderie between the two.

He was turning to settle in by himself when the girl noticed him and addressed him kindly. "Juugo! Hey, want me to take another look at that finger?" Blinking slowly, the shinobi approached the kunoichi, extending his bandaged digit towards her. Green eyes crinkled at his careful movements and she quickly checked the bones, patting his hand consolingly when she finished. "Looks good. A little swelling, but that's pretty standard. Would you like something to numb it a little?"

Bashfully, he replied, "Um...no-no thank you. It's not really bothering me, miss. But, I mean-"

Cocking her head, the short girl cut in, "I never told you my name, did I?" When he shook his head, she apologized and told him, "I'm Sakura."

Juugo smiled a little crookedly. "It's...a fitting name."

Sakura smiled back and clicked the flashlight in her hand on and off, thinking to herself. Looking earnestly to Juugo, she asked, "Do you think that Sasuke has any injuries?"

The shinobi considered for a moment before answering, "I noticed a little blood on him. I'm unsure who it belonged to, though."

The med-nin nodded, looking to the tree her team leader had retreated to. Centering herself, she estimated that she had almost drained the bulk of her chakra. If she wanted to be able to tree travel tomorrow, she needed to leave at least a fourth of her total reserve to sleep on. She'd regenerate to about a third or half overnight. Wrinkling her nose, she tried to gauge how much energy she'd need to walk up the tree that housed Sasuke. Inspiration struck her and she set hopeful eyes on the tall ninja beside her. "Juugo?"

When he turned his attention to her, she bit her lip and queried, "Do you think you could do me a favor?" Smiling, the shinobi agreed. Sakura grinned back and thanked him, "So, can you lift me up to that branch?" She pointed toward the lowest sturdy looking bough of the tree and raised her eyebrows hopefully.

"I believe so." Rather than awaiting a response, Juugo grasped the petite kunoichi around the waist and hefted her carefully. He didn't even have to fully extend his arms for her to catch a grip on the branch. Settling herself firmly onto it by straddling it, Sakura called down another thanks to the large man. She gave him a wave then turned to scale the plant the old fashioned way.

A few moments later she was regretting being so frugal with her chakra. Her arms were sore and she was sure that her palms were close to being rubbed raw from the bark. Squinting up through the leaves above her, she assumed that she'd be stumbling on Sasuke soon. The number of remaining load-bearing boughs was dwindling as she neared the top of the tree. Sure enough, the next branch she swung herself onto brought her to the level the shinobi was perched on. Crawling his way, she called quietly, "Are you injured?"

The figure on the limb didn't reply. He just rotated his head slightly in her direction, as if to better hear her. Otherwise he remained in his hunched position, both his forearms braced on his thighs, one of which was crossed beneath him while the other dangled. A seasoned instinct in her mind whispered that his back was possibly injured, causing him to lean forward rather than to recline as was expected. Drawing a little closer, she slid onto his branch a suitable distance before him and repeated her question.

Sasuke straightened, meeting her eyes, but still didn't reply. Sighing a little dispiritedly at having wasted time to climb the tree just to be ignored, Sakura brought one leg over to sit sidesaddle and to prepared to descend. A rustle of fabric gave her pause. Glancing back, she felt her fingers curl into the bark under her hands. Sasuke had removed his shirt and was looking expectantly at her, tilting to display his back. The pinkette fought the blush that threatened to rise in her cheeks at the sight of his bare chest. She wasn't a simpering fangirl anymore, she was nearly a Jounin-level medical ninja! Dropping her gaze from his pale, toned skin to the tree below her, Sakura began to move.

A professional facade fell into place as the pinkette lifted her knee until it was on the branch in font of her and she could push herself up to stand. Once she was balanced, she skirted up to her new team leader and braced herself on the trunk behind him as she stepped around his body. Slipping down the main axis of the tree, she settled into a sitting position and pulled her flashlight from her pouch once more. She shined the beam over the broad surface of his exposed skin, taking inventory of the cuts and abrasions.

Some were scabbed over, clearly older, while others were still slowly bleeding. A large, mottled bruise near the top of his ribcage that wrapped around beneath his arm caught her eye. Livid yellow and green gave way to a deep purple in the blemish's center and as she observed the rise and fall of Sasuke's back, she noted a slight hitch. Her training told her he'd most likely suffered a fractured, if not broken rib. Calmly, she asked, "Are you experiencing troubled or painful breathing?"

Dark hair shifted as he nodded once, curtly. Placing one hand lightly over the contusion, she switched off her flashlight and routed chakra into her hands. Her other hand joined its twin once the device was stored and she carefully prodded the bone beneath her fingertips. Muscle twitched under her probing and she lifted them away, pronouncing, "It looks like you have at least one broken rib. Maybe two minor fractures." Sakura felt the hollow under her hands vibrate as he grunted in response. Drawing a deep breath, she added, "I'm going to mend what I can and wrap you for the next two days." As she traced a particularly painful-looking cut, green chakra fizzling as it repaired the broken skin, she concluded, "Otherwise you'll be out of the field for a day or so with the strain of a full heal on your system."

Replacing her palms over the injured rib, she told him, "Take a deep breath and then exhale. I'm going to press on it, so be ready." Still he didn't speak, Sakura just felt warm skin rise to meet her hands as he inhaled and sink away as he released it. "Very good. I'm going to push now." True to her word, the medical nin applied pressure on the heavily bruised skin, meticulously following the curved bone from near his spine. As she approached his side, she requested, "Raise your arm for me?" When the limb lifted away, she leaned to follow her progress, lightly pressing against his back with her torso. As soon as her fingers found correctly aligned skeleceture, she drew back. As she dug through her bag, searching for a roll of adequate bandages, she asked, "Better?"

Another short 'hn' met her ears. Smiling a little cynically, she just focused on finding what she was looking for and tried to ignore the disappointment welling in her mind. She had childishly half hoped he'd be impressed by her progress. Her musings were cut short when she felt the branch beneath her dip slightly. Gripping the elusive length of cloth she'd been hunting for, she glanced up to find that Sasuke had turned to face her. At her confused frown, he said simply, "My stomach."

Green eyes flickered to the area he specified and widened at what they found. Just above his naval, a small cut, more a nick than anything, was surrounded by a strange blue-black filigree pattern. He'd been poisoned and was only now having it taken care of. An admonishment was on the tip of her tongue as she locked eyes with the dark pair that stared her down. Reluctantly, she reasoned that he hadn't been dosed with nearly as much as she had if all he had was a small graze compared to her three full blow sticks. Nevertheless, she routed around in her medical pack and found the same powdered antidote she'd treated herself with and pulled the stop. Dusting a little onto her finger, she requested, "Lean back."

When he complied, she evenly applied the substance, watching as the dark, twisting mark of the sickness receded. Satisfied, she recapped the vial and replaced it in her supplies. Taking up the roll of bandages, she found one end and sat awkwardly for a moment before wrapping her arms around the silent shinobi's chest, looping the first layer successfully and turning her face to avoid pressing her face into his chest.

As she pressed the start of the wrap firmly against the center of his pectoral muscles, she avoided his eyes, "Hold this, please?" When his fingers slid over hers to keep the bandage in place, she hastily drew it away and repeated her motions until his assistance wasn't required. His hand lowered back to his side but his eyes remained on her hands, watching her progress. Soon, the cloth reached its other end around where she'd administered the antidote moments before. Tucking it into a previous layer and patting it to make it stay, she made short work of touching up the deepest of Sasuke's gashes. The sheer number she found surprised her. It was as if he was constantly fighting without allowing his body time to recuperate. It was a bad habit to fall into.

Reaching the end of the last cut she found, Sakura felt her eyes begin to droop. Black eyes watched as the green, healing chakra began to flicker and fade around her fingers. They narrowed as he realized what it meant. The pinkette pulled her hands back, allowing her small amount of remaining energy to meld back into her system as she hummed tiredly, "I think that's the most of it. You should be fine until tomorrow when I can touch the rest up." Pasting on a small smile, she wiggled sideways and began to descend. She was hanging by both hands from the branch when the shinobi moved.

A sense of vertigo made her head spin as she was plucked from her suspended position to rest against Sasuke. She could hardly feel the rebound of his feet impacting the boughs as he speedily hopped toward the forest floor. Shifting in surprise when the situation finally settled into her tired mind, she froze when the arms supporting her tightened minutely. Before she could do anything further, the chest she was propped against rumbled. "Don't be annoying."

Any remotely happy feelings she'd been experiencing winked out of existence at those three words. Going slack in his grip, Sakura let her eyes slip shut as familiar emotions began to wash over her psyche. Worthlessness. Weakness. Childishness. They all flowed right back where they used to dwell with sickening ease. All her hours of training and study paled and fell away with an airy word. Biting down hard enough to make her gums ache, the kunoichi fiercely tamped down her emotions. She was only feeding it by letting Sasuke's opinion get to her. When she felt her back contact the semi-soft foam of her sleeping mat, she feigned sleep.

Even if the her ruse didn't convince Suigetsu or Juugo, they were wise enough not to comment as the petite girl was briskly placed on her bedroll and left to her own devices. Pale grey eyes watched with rapt attention as Sasuke settled the kunoichi and flashed backward to settle on the roots of the tree nearest the girl's resting place. Once the dark haired shinobi turned his head to stare blankly into the forest, Suigetsu rose. He ignored the stares of his male teammates that he felt as he carefully tugged a thin blanket over Sakura's slowly breathing form. Still crouched by the kunoichi's side, he glanced up to see the Uchiha's eyes locked onto his own. He wasn't sure what to call the emotion he saw in the other man's gaze, but knew it wasn't benevolent. The Mist nukenin backed off completely when he saw hints of red begin to swirl in the Uchiha's eyes. He liked Sakura's friendship, but he wasn't ready to risk his neck for something like tucking her in.

Suigetsu settled back next to Juugo and left the pair of Leaf ninja alone for the remainder of the night. There was obviously something in their past that the Sound shinobi wasn't privy to. Foggy eyes darkened as he tried to piece together what he knew. It wasn't much, but he was determined.

* * *

The town of Naoki was a small, civilian one. They were lucky to see one or two ninja pass through in an entire year. So, when a full squad of four Leaf Jounin walked into the General Store, the owner was more than a little surprised. A pink haired, green eyed memory surfaced in his mind and he decided the visit wasn't quite as unexpected as he first thought. Before they could even pose a question, he asked, "This wouldn't be about that lil kunoichi that came through couple a days ago, would it?"

A lanky blonde blurted, "Did she have pink hair? Were her eyes green? Was she hurt? Is-" An older, masked man interrupted the other as he began, "Were Konoha ninja here to ask you a few questions about a comrade of ours who seems to have gone missing."

Stepping up to the counter, he noted the large crack in the thick wooden surface. His visible eye crinkled as he commented, "This is a pretty sturdy piece of furniture."

The owner snorted. "Yeah. Broke my fall pretty good." Giving the assembled shinobi and kunoichi a level look he cut to the chase. "There was a pink headed girl who come through here...prolly two, three days ago? I thought she was a bandit and bout hit er-"

A female blonde piped up this time, "Hey, ugly! How dare you swing at Billboard-Forehead? She's no common thief! She's-" The shinobi next to her mumbled 'Troublesome' and restrained the infuriated kunoichi. Once she'd been escorted from the building, the silver haired man leaned forward and smiled again. "My deepest apologies. Please continue."

Eyeing the still raging girl outside, the owner hesitantly started again, "Like I said, I _almost_ hit er, but she tossed me back to this here counter and near broke my back. Once I explained to er, she apologized real nicely and said she'd pay me back later." He trailed off, "I believed her too."

The older man dropped a sizeable wad of ryuu in front of the man, quipping, "Consider yourself reimbursed. Please, carry on."

Locking the money into the register with a few deft swipes of the keys on top of the machine and a slam of its drawer, he continued, "Anyways, she bought some supplies, real normal travelin' stuff. Then she left."

The blonde shinobi broke in again with, "Which way did she go? Did she look like she was in trouble?" A dark haired, absently smiling boy laid a hand on the talkative one's shoulder and replied, "I think that the man may have more to say, Naruto."

Nodding, the owner added, "I thought that was the last I'd see of her, aside from if she sent some money, I suppose." He looked back to who he assumed was the leader of the group. "But then I heard some commotion outside an it turns out that it was that girl bein' attacked by the bandits the scouts seen earlier. She held her own pretty good, what I heard, even saved Mei's boy and got him back to er. At least till that tall, dark haired fella showed up."

A different light entered the older man's eye as he asked calmly, "Can you describe him a little more thoroughly for me, sir?"

Scratching his head, the shop owner replied, "Fraid not. I wasn't there myself. Sorry." When the ninja began to stir, as if to leave, he hurridly added, "But then I saw her a second time, later in the day." Tapping his meaty hands on his broken counter, he hesitantly mentioned, "I don' know fer sure, but I think that girl was in trouble."

Their leader arched an eyebrow, his eyes hardening as he requested, "Please explain."

"Well, she came back in fer supplies she had not two hours before, an'...well, she had a little blood dried on er face, right underneath her eye." He paused before adding, "Strange thing though, since she didn't have a cut or nothin' I could tell." The ninja before him didn't seem surprised or mystified, so he soldiered on, "So, I thought somebody'd eventually come lookin' for her and I did the only thing I could."

The one eyed man asked, "And what was that?"

"I asked er name. So I could tell whoever showed up askin' bout her. She said it was Sakura somethin. Uchina...Uchiwa? I can't-"

"Uchiha?" The tone of the two ninjas' voices as they asked in near perfect unison was strange.

The owner nodded a little reluctantly, afraid of what it implied. Before the rapidly reddening blond could explode, he quickly added, "She said somethin' else...It might not be anything at all, it just struck me as a little odd...the way she said it." When the shinobi waited, he clarified, "She said: 'I didn't want to...' Now, I assumed she was talkin about my counter at the time, but somethin about the look on her face when she said it seemed, I dunno, desperate? I jus thought I'd tell you, just in case it meant something to ya."

The silver haired man just nodded solomnly as the younger man behind him began to curse and rant. Watching the three ninja exit his store, the owner reaffirmed that he was glad he lived in a civilian village. Ninja were obviously crazy.

Outside, Shikamaru and Ino listened as Kakashi explained the situation. "It seems," he sighed, "that Sasuke is involved." Naruto's furious exclamation ("That BASTARD!") was mostly ignored as the team leader continued, "And if that's true than they've most likely covered their tracks extremely well. He knows better than to be sloppy."

Shikamaru reasoned, "Than it's best to wait here for the night and set out in the morning. Nothing will come of us heading out now. It's too dark to be thorough."

Ino and Naruto protested loudly until Kakashi raised a single hand for silence. Once it was quiet, he ruled, "We're staying. Sai? Go and make arrangements for us at the town's inn." When the dark haired shinobi departed, he addressed the remaining group, "Not a word of this goes back to Konoha yet, am I clear?" They all nodded and Kakashi concluded, "Tsunande will have no choice but to label her missing nin if she's traveling with Hebi. The council will insist."

A dark emotion flickered over his sole visible eye as he clarified, "I'd hate to see another one of my students in a bingo book."

* * *

**I love Kakashi. He's so cool. X3 **

**Next chapter Saturday evening, I believe. Look for it! :D**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	5. Green

**Green**

Two days of travel found Hebi in a thriving city at the heart of Rain Country. Almost immediately upon their arrival, the team of five had made their way to an opulent villa at the edge of the upscale side of town. Originally, Sakura had been a bit stunned by the obviously expensive accommodations. Then it occurred to her that Sasuke was the sole recognized heir of one of the wealthiest Clans in Konoha, if not the entire Fire Country. Of course he'd be well off. It wasn't as if he'd spent much of it during his stay in Sound. She concluded that he'd most likely brought a comfortable sum along with him when he...Her train of thought began to ramble toward tearful confessions and hated benches when the pinkette decided she'd meditated on the subject quite enough. It was hardly her concern how the Uchiha spent his fortune.

Since they'd settled into the luxuriously furnished condominium, the other members of Hebi had been coming and going frequently, leaving Sakura to do as she pleased. The first few days she'd been bored and a little annoyed at being left out. Any attempts to eek information about their presence in the town were quickly shot down by a look from their team leader. Green eyes darkened as she wondered if Sasuke considered the mission to be too 'big' for her.

On the third day of their stay, Sakura discovered a small, mostly forgotten garden at the edge of the resort's grounds. Her frustration with being left in the dark was rerouted into the systematic evaluation of the various herbs and fruit baring trees she found in the little park. Soon she was gathering fresh produce and cooking ingredients for their temporary home on a regular basis. Suigetsu had been virtually ecstatic to have a dependable supply of citrus fruits for his breakfasts.

Sakura had been quick to take advantage of his happy disposition. She stood, clutching the orange the Mist shiobi had been groggily reaching for only moments before in the pristine setting of the villa's kitchen. Rolling the large fruit in her palms, she gave Suigetsu her most innocent face and flatly asked what she wanted to know. "So...what can you tell me about the mission we're on?" The pinkette made a point to stress the 'we' bit of the statement, hoping to sway him further.

Grey eyes balefully watched his favorite snack, held captive by the crafty kunoichi. A put-upon look flashed over the nukenin's features as he looked quickly around before cracking, "Look, you know I can't tell you much." When Sakura began to calmly peel the fruit in her grasp, he blurted, "But if I were you," he glanced cagily around once more and hinted, "If I were you, I'd take advantage of being here alone all the time and _take a look around_." He rose his eyebrows suggestively and gestured to highlight the last part of his comment.

Shrewdly, the Leaf ninja eyed her friend and jerked her arm back to avoid his grab for her collateral. "Just where do you suggest that I start?"

Suigetsu gave her a desperate look. Sakura didn't budge. Sighing, he hissed, "Pinky, you're going to get me into some serious shit with Sasuke." When the green eyed kunoichi still remained unmoved, he gushed in a harsh whisper, "Check rooms, laundry, anything! Basic recon, Sakura. Are you a ninja or what?"

She shot the shinobi a less than kind look at his closing comment and chucked the orange at his chest. Not waiting to watch as Suigetsu yelped and tried to catch his breakfast, Sakura turned and made her way toward her suite. She'd wait for the rest of the team to leave the house and make her way through each of their rooms. "Pinky?" Pausing at Suigetsu's call, she frowned and turned slightly to face the shinobi.

Peeling his bounty carefully, he asked, "What exactly is going on between you and Sasuke?" Before the kunoichi could fly off the handle at the blunt question, he dealed, "If you tell me, I could help you shed a little more light on what we're doing here." Sakura crossed her arms tightly, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. When she glanced around, as if assessing the room's privacy, he added, "Karin's already gone, if she even came home. Juugo is still asleep." Both knew it was an impossible venture to track the Uchiha.

Sakura chewed on her lip for a moment before leaning against the counter near the shinobi and beginning in a hushed tone, "It's fairly simple. I loved him once. He hardly acknowledged my existence." Suigetsu winced, muttering a soft 'ouch.' The Leaf kunoichi nodded. "When he did speak to me, it was usually to tell me I was annoying."

A hand full of short words he'd overheard a few nights past echoed in the Mist nukenin's head as he ducked to see the pinkette's expression. "Sakura, I'm sorry I asked. You don't have to-"

She just shook her head and looked up to him with tear bright eyes, though her chin was firm. Sakura was not going to cry, she was matter-of-fact as she continued, "It took me years to get over the fact that I couldn't make him stay. Years more to convince myself that I was strong." Turning to stare into the bright, morning sunshine pouring into the kitchen, she smiled a little bitterly. "And he can still wipe it all away in an instant." She turned her head back and stared down at her bare feet as she whispered, "I know I'm pathetic, but I'm trying." She laughed the same dark laugh that Suigetsu had come to hate already.

Tossing a friendly arm across the saddened pinkette's shoulders, Suigetsu consoled, "You're not pathetic, Sakura. He is."

A smile came slowly to her face at her friend's simple explination. She'd experienced many since the day Sasuke walked out on Konoha, but none had been as succinct and effective. Nodding and tilting her head to rest on Suigetsu's arm where it lay on her shoulder, she grinned and prodded, "Your turn! Spill!"

The pale haired shinobi was about to speak when their team leader strolled silently into the kitchen, his sheer chakra signature rolling in before him like a thundercloud. He glanced back and forth between the pair before locking his gaze on Suigetsu's. "You have an assignment."

Agreeing, the shinobi pulled his arm away from Sakura and made his quickly way from the villa. The front door clicked shut and a heavy silence fell over the two remaining members of Team Hebi. A little unsure of what to say, Sakura smiled and tucked her hands into her shorts' rear pockets, rocking back on her heels and asking, "Would you like me to make something for you?"

Sasuke wordlessly indicated that he did not and instead walked to the refrigerator to retrieve a water bottle and retreat back to his master suite. Exhaling once he'd gone, the green eyed kunoichi thought to herself, 'Rotten timing. I suppose I'll just have to work with what I know and search the villa first. I'll grill Sui when he gets back this evening.' She cast a glance in the direction her team leader had gone and knew she needed to wait until he left to avoid suspicion.

Fifteen minutes later, she felt Sasuke's expansive chakra fade into the distance and sprung into action. The first room she investigated was Karin's. Clothes were strewn about in a messy pile at the foot of the bed and a vast assortment of cosmetics were assembled on top of the vanity in front of the large window. Pacing quickly inside, Sakura was puzzled by the bare mannequin head sitting beside the enormous box of makeup on the mirror stand. Why was Karin wearing a wig? Why couldn't she simply henge her hair? Running a critical eye over the girl's sprawling wardrobe on the floor, she was surprised by the provocativeness of the bulk of it. Short skirts, tiny tops and racy undergarments made up the majority of the collection.

She was just stooping down to inspect a particularly lacy and strange piece when she heard a the distant slam of the front door. Someone was home! Thinking quickly, Sakura reasoned that the layout of the villa didn't allow for a direct view of the hallway outside from the entryway. She still had time to get out of the other kunoichi's room before someone caught her red handed. In a flash, she was sliding out of the room and into the passage beyond.

Running increasingly panicked green eyes over the doors around her, she decided that Suigetsu's room was closest. She made her decision and slipped into the next door on the left. After all, she wanted to check his room for clues as well. Why not knock out an objective and save her self a little time?

The thick green contacts in her eyes were really beginning to irritate Karin. Rubbing one vigorously, she made her way quickly to her room, she paused when she felt a chakra signature close by. A moment's focus and she determined it was the pinkette kunoichi that had captured Sasuke's attention. Scowling, she thought back on what she'd heard Suigetsu tell Juugo about her man's 'obvious attraction' toward the ugly midget. What did Sasuke-kun see in that girl? She hardly looked like a woman at all, with her short stature and awful pink hair. Who had pink hair, anyway?

The red head began to head into her room, ready for a good mope, when a sudden revelation dawned on her. What was she doing in Suigetsu's suite? A conniving smile blossomed on her lips as she closed her door quietly behind her. A plan was already forming in her mind as she settled herself at her vanity and went about unpinning her long, blonde wig. It had been removed and placed on its porcelain pedestal when she felt the chilling aura of her crush arrive. Turning to face him, she gave him her coyest look and simpered, "Sasuke-kun?"

Dark eyes stared emotionlessly into her own as he intoned, "Your mission?"

Huffing a little, Karin replied, "Going according to plan. Everything is running smoothly." She batted her eyelashes and called out as he turned to leave, "I don't know if I should say anything, but..." She watched as he turned his head until his handsome profile was visible and continued, "That girl, Sakura?" An ugly emotion reared in her chest when Sasuke slowly pivoted to face her completely at a mention of the pinkette's name. More determined than ever, Karin said, "She's well...I know how you frown on inter-team relationships," she leaned forward as she informed the shinobi, "She's in Suigetsu's room now." The Uchiha's body began to draw up, tensing as she finished, "They have been together quite often recently and-"

Sasuke was gone before she could finish. His malevolent aura collapsed inward on itself and erased itself completely as the dark shinobi went hunting. A satisfied smile curled on the red head's lips as she faced the mirror once more. She was sure that things would be taking care of themselves where that pink haired freak and Sasuke-kun were concerned. She'd seen to that.

Sakura was inspecting Suigetsu's expensive-looking, civilian wardrobe when she heard the door slide open. Absently, she spoke over her shoulder, "Sui? You know you could've just invited me in here and saved me all sorts of trouble! I nearly got caught-"

Sakura was about to say 'in Karin's room' when she was jerked suddenly to the left by a grip at her nape and slammed face-first against the wall. A low, rasping tone sounded near her ear. "You were brought to the team to serve as a medical specialist..._not _for the _personal enjoyment_ of its shinobi." When the pinkette bucked and gasped angrily at his insinuation, he pushed her more fully against the unyielding surface, "Go to your suite and remain there. Do not test me."

His grip flexed and she could feel it from the back of her neck all the way to the sides of her windpipe in a firm but not quite bruising hold. At last, he stepped away and gave her space to push away from the wall as his hand fell from her. He deflected the chakra laden fist she swung at him with a flicker of motion and gathered both of her hands into one of his own. "I won't repeat myself."

He allowed her to jerk her hands away and gazed unflinchingly at her furious face until she stormed from the room. He followed soon after, pausing outside her quarters only to hear the sound of things shattering within. Blank expression still in place, he continued his trek towards the living room. He heard the door swing open and watched expressionlessly as Suigetsu and Juugo entered the house.

The wiry Mist ninja stretched his arms over his head and asked jokingly, "What's the wifey making for dinner? I'm starving!"

Juugo's golden eyes widened when he noticed the Uchiha's eyes bleed red. In a movement invisible to even the trained eye to of a shinobi, Sasuke was instantly standing toe to toe with the sharp toothed man. One hand rested on his kusanagi as he murmured evenly, "Come."

Stunned by his leader's abrupt and obviously hostile turn of mood, Suigetsu stood stupefied for a moment before trailing after the tense form of Sasuke. They paced a while into the woods when the Mist shinobi was stopped rudely by an impossibly honed edge pressed against his jugular. "I found Sakura in your quarters. Explain."

Suigetsu laughed a little nervously and replied, "Bonding time?"

A thick rivulet of blood rushed down the sarcastic man's neck as Sasuke intoned, "You test my patience."

Still a little disbelieving, the ninja shrugged nonchalntly. "I really don't-"

A sharp, stinging sensation made Suigetsu wince as the sword cut deeper into his flesh. Tomoes began to form and spin wildly. "You're making yourself a liability."

Swallowing at the harsh words, the shinobi finally replied, "I honestly _don't know_. She was upset earlier, but-"

"Why?"

As he stared into the face of his cold team leader, Suigetsu wondered if the man really _was_ as heartless as he appeared and spat, "Why do you think?"

Before Sasuke could derive forcibly just what was meant by that statement, a figure approached through the underbrush behind them. The two men turned to find Karin, fighting a grin as she announced, "Sakura is gone."

* * *

Shikamaru stood slowly from his crouching position, brandishing a small shard of something almost ceramic in appearance. It was long, thin and jagged at one end but fit just barely in the male's palm.

Ino strode up, asking briskly, "What is that? Pottery?"

The dark haired genius just sighed and tucked his free hand into his pocket. "No. It is not a peice of pottery."

Naruto, noticing the disturbance in their search line, descended on the pair. "What did you guys-IS THAT BLOOD?"

Sai and Kakashi, drawn by their blond teammate's loud exclamation, joined the group. The silver haired team leader carefully plucked the item from Shikamaru's lax grip. Bringing it closer to his sole eye, he nodded to himself as though confirming his own suspicion. He glanced to a nearly hyperventilating Naruto and informed him, "It's not blood. It's paint."

The blue eyed boy calmed exponentially. Scratching his head, the kyuubi vessel quieried, "A white chip with red paint. Jeez, Shikamaru! We're looking for Sakura, not-"

Sai interrupted, smiling, "I believe the materials appear to be similar to those used on ANBU masks." Kakashi nodded his agreement.

Ino broke in, "But ANBU wear animal masks." All eyes turned to her as she explained, "I mean, I know it's only a single piece, but it's pretty evenly rounded, no snout or ears...and the painted band is really broad. It's not a wisker or something like that."

Shikamaru mumbled a little to himself and said what everyone else feared, "Hunter Nin. It seems we are not the only ones perusing Team Hebi."

* * *

**It's a little short, but here it is. :) Sorry it's a little late, I had a few things crop up on me. --"**

**Everyone should know that two of my readers/reviewers have branched off and done some really amazing work related to Color Theory. They are:**

**Nokas-Kokas who has illustrated a scene from the first chapter of Color Theory, you can find the AWESOME pic at DeviantArt, if you search 'Color Theory Chapter 1'. Sorry if that's a little confusing. I'll be putting a direct link in my profile as soon as I get some time. :)**

**AngeLhearteD wrote an amazing one-shot inspired by a quote from this fic titled 'The Hunt' I LOVED IT! You can find it under my 'Favorite Stories' section. Go and persuade her to write more SasuSaku with oodles and oodles of reviews! XD**

**Thank you for reading and please review!**


	6. White

White

Sakura wasn't sure what she was thinking. Ducking to avoid an upcoming branch, she kicked off the bough beneath her with enough force to make the wood groan and splinter slightly. Green and brown streaked past her until everything in her peripheral vision looked stretched and blurred. Like a watercolor painting. She could feel her chest heaving, not from fatigue but from nerves. Every sound in the forest around her was magnified and rebounded nerve wrackingly in her ears. When a terrified squirrel darted across her path, the movement had scared her so badly she'd nearly lost her footing.

Growling to herself, the pinkette shoved off once more and began to tilt her course a little further south. She wasn't sure that she could make it back to Konoha, but she knew she could try. Sasuke's words rang in her ears as she dipped down to hop off of a lower, thicker branch. Springing back to the level she'd been using, green eyes mapped out her next few leaps and allowed herself to think back on what had been said.

A cold, emotionless voice rang in her head. '_You were brought to the team to serve as a medical specialist...__**not**__ for the __**personal enjoyment**__ of its shinobi_.' Bile rose in her throat. He thought she and Suigetsu were...Her stomach rebelled as she quelled the thought. The Mist nukenin reminded her of Naruto. He was like a brother. Yet Sasuke was accusing her of sleeping with him. Personal enjoyment? What else could he mean? She'd tried to arc a fist into the dark shinobi's arrogant face but had been batted aside easily, like an errant child. Hell, he'd even sent her sulking to her room. Once there, she'd methodically broken every single vaguely fragile object she could get her hands on. Her hands were scored with shallow gashes from when she'd resorted to picking up the larger pieces and slamming them into the walls for a second time.

Her room was a mess of shattered glass and wood when she'd escaped through a window. She hadn't originally intended to run for Konoha. She had planned at first to simply head to the garden she'd found to cool off a little. It was the sound that she heard as she paced angrily past Karin's open patio door that inspired her to leave completely. When she heard a low moan issue from the suite, she'd been ready to boost her steps with chakra to save herself a little embarrassment when the next words spoken froze the very blood in her veins. "OH, _Sasuke_!" Stunned green eyes peered into the room to see the tall red head pinned to the wall by a shinobi fitting the description of the named man. Something in her mind and heart snapped simultaneously and when she came to her senses, she was well out of sight of her garden...or any other part of the resort Hebi was staying in.

Something slick and warm trickled down Sakura's cheek as she continued to move quickly and nearly silently through the forest. When the moisture dripped onto her upper lip, the pinkette was shocked at the taste of salt water. She was crying? Rolling leaf green eyes up toward the canopy, she gave a frustrated shout. Her resolve was slipping and she was starting to fall back into her old habits. Her fascination with Sasuke was slipping back into place as if it had never left.

Her inner ego laughed and shouted in her mind. 'Inner Sakura' had been trying to tell her almost since she'd seen Sasuke on the dusty street of that tiny town that she was still helplessly attracted to the shinobi. She'd caught herself watching the way he moved as they travelled. His effortless grace. He had the kind of presence that one had to be born with. Those things she'd always known, but the basic way he carried himself had changed since she'd seen him last. There was a distinctly darker note to his stance. Sasuke was a killer now. He had the aura of an extremely powerful, apathetic being. Watching him sent a trill down her spine in the most basic way: she was a prey animal recognizing a predator.

And here she was, deliberately disobeying one of the first commands he'd issued her. Don't run. A bubble of hysterical laughter swelled in her chest. She was so out of touch with what she was physically doing that a stray branch snagged her hair, pulling the short strands viciously. Gasping in pain, the kunoichi grasped the side of her head and paused for a moment. She was standing, checking the hand she'd pressed against her scalp for blood, when she heard a shout in the distance.

Jumping nearly out of her skin, Sakura pressed herself back against the trunk of the tree she was standing on, crouching in the shadows there. The yelling came again. "NO!" It was followed by the distinct crash of a falling tree. Other, shriller voices rose in response but were impossible to make out. Heart pounding, the kunoichi stood to continue fleeing when the branch she was perched on suddenly fell out from beneath her.

Squealing in fright as she fell, Sakura twisted herself to face the forest floor, hoping to find a branch she could use as leverage. Instead she found two furious red eyes.

* * *

Karin expand her consciousness, 'watching' as her team leader's chakra reappeared in Suigetsu's room, nearly blotting out the misty, benevolent green aura of the kunoichi. Waves upon waves of deep, nearly black chakra arced from his signature like the lightening he wielded. The pinkette's energy fluttered nervously and ebbed a little when Sasuke's flared. A sly smile crossed her lips as she heard a thump and angry gasp.

When the gentle green of Sakura's chakra surged it was met easily by her crush's potent energy. A moment later, she heard Suigetsu's door tear open and felt the female's signature move off toward her own suite. Shaking herself out of her meditative state, Karin jumped to her feet and rushed to her door, hoping to catch Sasuke. Instead she found the corridor empty. Pouting a little and striding toward the common area of the villa, she watched as a visibly raging Sasuke confronted a puzzled Suigetsu.

Envy washed over her like a smothering tide. Sasuke was angry with the Mist nin because of his alleged involvement with the Leaf kunoichi. Her plan had back fired. Rather than taking out his anger on Sakura, her team leader was instead after Suigetsu. Fury and bitterness enveloped her heart. Sasuke never fell for her clever plots to make him jealous. He'd never batted an eye at her hanging from other men. Frustration and disappointment brought tears to her eyes as she thought of the assignment he'd put her on even now.

When the two shinobi disappeared from the entryway, Karin too departed the living room. As she stomped back to her quarters. she snarled when the airy feel of _that bitch's_ chakra brushed her consciousness. A loud crash and hateful scream took her by surprise. Red eyes filled with malicious glee as it dawned on her that she had not yet lost the battle for Sasuke's heart. She'd simply attacked the problem from the wrong angle. Making the shinobi think Sakura wanted someone else clearly didn't work. He just removed the competition. Perhaps making his beloved little pink haired freak resent _him _was the way to go.

A moment later, Karin was pacing the floor of her room, trying to think of a plan. Various genjutsu she'd learned at Orochimaru's prison facility came to mind. As the cloud like signature of her target entered the edge of her awareness, Karin settled on the illusion she wanted to use. Dashing forward, she tossed open the sliding door of her back deck and concealed herself just inside her closest. When she left the wardrobe door ajar, she could clearly see anyone who walked by outside. When she felt the hated girl's signature draw near, she flipped her hands through the seals required for her trick.

A dull pop sounded when she completed the last motion and two figures stood in the center of her bedroom. False Sasuke immediately grasped her image by the waist and pressed her roughly against the nearest wall. The real Karin fought the urge to groan along with her imitation as she watched the Sasuke trail harsh bites down the column of her throat. She heard a rustle outside as the girl made to speed past.

Concentrating on her illusion, Karin pumped more of her will and chakra into it and was rewarded when she heard her doppelganger moan, "OH, _Sasuke_!"

The look on the girl's face when the words reached her ears was priceless. Disbelief rode her features from her wide, rounded eyes to her small, 'o' shaped mouth until she glimpsed inside and saw 'Sasuke' pressing compromisingly against 'Karin.' A red and pink blur was the last true Karin saw of the girl as she streaked off.

Dismissing the illusion with a breezy "Kai," the red head wondered how long of a head start she wanted to give the girl before she innocently informed Sasuke that the disloyal little Leaf ninja had taken flight. Sauntering leisurely toward the kitchen and tracking the rapidly disappearing green chakra signature of the kunoichi in her mind, Karin decided she'd wait until he and Suigetsu returned. Juugo's quiet voice startled her.

"Um..Karin?"

"What?," she snapped shortly.

The giant shinobi balked a little before massaging his finger and muttering, "Have you seen Sakura? I-um, she said that...well, if I-"

Glaring contemptuously at the stuttering boy, Karin hissed, "Why would _I_ know where she is?" When the golden-eyed berserker stood, obviously cowed, she got an idea. "Why don't you just check her room or something?"

Juugo nodded, eager to get away from the angry kunoichi. He didn't see the pleased smile slid onto her face when he turned to search out the pinkette. The sight that met his eyes when he opened the door to Sakura's suite made him freeze. The entire room was torn apart and one of the windows was left open. Had someone taken her? Panicking, Juugo felt his curse begin to flare up as he raced back into the kitchen, shouting, "She's gone! Someone's taken her! We have to tell Sasuke!"

Karin nodded, acting shocked as the pair took off toward the woods where their leader had taken Suigetsu for their little 'talk.' They crashed through the underbrush and Juugo followed closely behind his teammate as she tracked Sasuke's chakra. When they finally arrived, he listened as she announced, "Sakura is gone."

Sasuke stepped immediately away from Suigetsu, rounding on Karin, "Where?"

The red head blanched before pointing in a generally south eastern direction. "I can't tell anymore, but that's the way she was headed when-" She stopped talking when an angry sound escaped her team leader. He was gone before she could finish her explanation. She was shaken from her stupor when Suigetsu picked himself up from the ground where he'd stumbled, his pale eyes wide. "He could kill her."

Karin just smirked. "Hopefully."

Before the Mist nukenin could tell the kunoichi what he thought of her comment, Juugo screamed, "**NO!**" His teammates looked quickly to him as he clutched his head, shaking it back and forth furiously as he fought with himself. He wanted to help Sakura but he couldn't betray Sasuke. His mind was pulling him in two directions and his sanity was slipping away from him. Another tortured shout escaped him, "**NO!**" The tree nearest him was ripped from its roots as he lashed out, sending it into three of its fellows before it rolled onto the crowded forest floor with a thunderous sound.

Suigetsu stood, hesitating for a moment before barking at Karin, "Stay with Juugo." Before he too disappeared.

Karin scowled and narrowly dodged a large rock tossed by the still chaotically thrashing Juugo. Every time she tried to pursue her teammates, she was stopped by a thrown projectile. Screaming with frustration, she ducked another tossed item and viciously hoped Sasuke was unable to catch the little bitch. Then Suigetsu's comment rang in her head and she smiled hatefully as she paradoxically hoped he did.

* * *

Sasuke had found her. Sakura gasped and tried to jackknife her body away from him. He predicted the movement and reached out, snagging her wrist and flinging her toward the ground. When she landed, knees first, she cried out as she felt her skin bust open on impact. The Uchiha alighted silently before her and paced unhurriedly toward her. As he drew his kusanagi, the chirping of one thousand birds filled the air. Hardly audible over the screeching, he asked, "What did I tell you?"

Staggering to her feet as blood poured down her shins, Sakura stonily kept quiet. He'd caught her and she was unlikely to escape. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of playing into his power trip. She gasped when he reappeared in front of her, baggy pants rubbing coarsely against the open gashes on her knees. Sarcasm and bitterness swept over her tongue as she jibed, "That I wasn't brought here for the personal enjoyment of Hebi's shinobi." Tilting her head, she twisted her features into something dark and angry as she spat, "I see why you said it now. You have your own _personal enjoyment_." She chuckled acidly, "I wondered why you kept her around...but something that _base_ just never occurred to me."

Sasuke's handsome face remained free of emotion as he spoke, his face lit by the furious blue light of his contained lightening, "I told you not to run."

Sakura ignored him, pressing a finger to her chin as she pretended to ponder. "Hmm, now that I know that you don't mind teammates being _involved_...I wonder if Suigetsu's still interested. Or even Juugo, you know what they say about-" She choked as a crushing grip on her windpipe cut her off forcibly.

Swirling red eyes met her own as his slightly deeper voice spoke, his breath fogging across the bridge of her nose, "If you let them touch you, I will kill them." Tipping his head a fraction in a mockery of her motion, he asked, "Do you want their deaths on your conscious?" He dipped closer and said snidely, "You already have Naruto's imminent beating on your head."

A metallic swish cut the air as Suigetsu's huge blade narrowly missed Sasuke's head. Sakura was too shocked to move for a moment until she was knocked back behind the Mist nin's body. His voice sounded over his shoulder as he stared at his team leader's hands, knowing better than to face his Sharingnan, "Run Sakura. NOW!"

She only stumbled back a few feet when the lanky form of the grey eyed nin was launched up and back, far over her head. A dark blur that could only be Sasuke followed close behind. Turning to find the Uchiha hacking steadily away at Suigetsu's defense, leaving numerous, heavily bleeding wounds, she rushed toward the fray. When she reached the pair, her friend was pinned through the gut to the tree behind him as Sasuke stood before him, hand still on the blade's hilt. Ominous crackling and birdsong rent the air as lightening began to leap over the kusanagi's blade. A horrific shout sounded from the pinned man as the energy tore through his abdomen before it began to numb him completely.

His foggy eyes snapped open just in time to see the pinkette running towards him. Fear dominated his features as he yelled for her to stop. Sasuke turned his head only slightly, catching Sakura effortlessly as she tried to jet past him. In an instant, the kunoichi found herself on her injured knees once more, both hands caught up behind her in a disabling position. The dark haired shinobi let her watch as he funnelled more energy into the blade. Tears gushed down her face as she watched Suigetsu struggle and gasp.

In an even tone, he asked Sakura. "Why were you in his room?" When she continued to fight his grip, attempting to get to the impaled man's side, he jerked viciously on her arms and twisted the blade in his other hand. Sakura turned horrified green eyes up towards his and she sobbed, "I w-was try-ing to find o-out why we're in Hid-den Rain!" Looking desperately towards Suigetsu's sagging form, she pleaded, "I _swear_, ple-ase!"

Sasuke withdrew his weapon and released Sakura in a single, fluid motion. When she lunged toward Suigetsu, ready to heal him, he gripped her arm and intoned, "Leave him." When she continued to struggle, he pulled her bodily along behind him as he made his way back to the villa. Sakura continued to scream and struggle, going as far as to shatter the entire trunk of the first tree he jumped onto. When the rebounding splinters took him by surprise, leaving tiny weeping gashes on his face, he snarled, "He's alive. If you continue to test me I will change my mind."

Going completely slack in his hold, Sakura allowed herself to be carried as Sasuke moved them both with impossible speeds to their rooms at the resort. She had already decided that as soon as he let her out of his sight that she was going back for Sui. She wasn't going to just 'leave him.' A moment later, she was dropped onto a tidy bed in a room she'd never seen before.

Looking to Sasuke with confused eyes and tear stained cheeks, she listened as she explained, "I can't trust you. You sleep here." He disappeared through an adjoining door and Sakura took the opportunity to look around at her surroundings. Everything seemed basically like her own suite, just larger and even more opulent. It suddenly dawned on her where she was. She was in the master suite. Sasuke's room.

He wasn't going to let her out of his sight anytime soon.

* * *

**Before I get confused reviews, I know that this chapter is very chaotic and leaves a lot of loose ends. It is intentional. Most everything will be explained in the next chapter. Thanks. :3**

**As always, thanks for reading and please review!**


	7. Violet

**Violet**

Sasuke watched the soft rise and fall of Sakura's back with a breed of detached fixation. Up and down. In and out. It was so simple, common. Innocent. Her short pink locks were laying in soft waves, still a little damp from the shower she must have taken when he stepped out of his suite an hour or so before. From his position at the edge of the bed near her hip, he could see individual strands of pale blonde and deeper rose that diversified her signature pink mane. A cursory glance down to her uncovered legs told him that she'd healed her injuries from earlier. The bright blood had been washed clean from her pale skin and she looked as pure as anything he'd ever seen.

He knew without looking that his hands were still stained rusty red with Suigetsu's traitorous filth. Dark eyes narrowed to slits as he remembered the way the once ruthless shinobi had lain his life on the line to 'save' the girl sleeping quietly at his side. Sasuke's gaze trailed over the sleep-flushed skin of her cheeks and he acknowledged that it was Sakura's influence that had made it so. She was like a bright, cleansing light that drew people to her like moths to a flame. It was nerve grating, irritating, frustrating. She was annoying.

Standing swiftly from the mattress to his feet, facing away from the soundly sleeping girl, Sasuke was surprised to hear the linens rustle as her form shifted. Dark eyes stared over a lean shoulder and found the petite kunoichi had rolled onto her side. Her body was facing toward his back and her pale arms were extended, bent only slightly at the elbows, half splayed fingers and palms turned toward him. He lowered his eyebrows sharply. His movements had been nothing short of silent. That was fact. His head turned towards the bath chamber of the master suite once more as he dismissed the errant thought and continued on his way. It wasn't as if the girl had somehow subconsciously sensed his movement and attempted, in sleep, to follow him. That would be ridiculous.

He walked silently to the adjoining bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar. The air inside was still damp and a little heavy with cooling steam from Sakura's earlier use. Long, slender fingers caught a drop of cold water on the tiled wall where it still clung. Cold moisture slipped over the calloused, scarred surface of his skin and lifted the rusty stains that had dried there. As the now rosy drop from Sakura's bath settled into his palm, he pondered the idea of sharing something as simple as a bath facility. The slowly evaporating droplets in front of him reminded him that it had been a long time since he'd been in continuous close contact with another human being. And it was by his own violation.

He was just thinking of shrugging off his oversized white top to shower when Sasuke heard a light knock on the door to the bedroom. Lean muscles tensed, frozen, as he heard a soft, sleepy exhale and feet padding toward the sliding door. Sasuke heard Sakura's thickened voice begin to say, "Who is-" in a delighted, harsh whisper, she squeaked, "Sui! How are you? Gods, I-"

The Konoha nukenin watched his eyes bleed red n the mirror as he continued to stand statically, waiting to discover his foolish teammate's purpose for visiting the medic ninja he'd _specifically_ advised him not to.

Suigetsu laughed a little lowly, the sound rougher than usual. "Hey Pinky. I'm fine, really. Karin knew some medical jutsu and she patched me up pretty good. I just wanted to see you." Tomoe appeared, swirling dangerously as Sasuke continued to listen. There was a long pause, as if both were usure of what was to be said. Finally, the Mist shinobi asked a little nervously, "Umm, not to be a spoilsport...but has Sasuke been in here?" A predatory smirk lit the dark shinobi's features at that. Dear 'Sui' hadn't seen him return because he'd intentionally used the private entrance at the back of his suite. He'd half expected the nukenin to attempt to visit Sakura. And he had been right.

Sakura replied, "I'm not really sure, I was asleep until you knocked and-"

The white haired ninja interrupted worriedly, "Oh! If you're not feeling up to it, I can always come ba-"

"No! No, it's fine. Really. Come on in." Sakura's voice remained a strained whisper until she'd ushered Suigetsu into _his _quarters, where it raised a little in volume.

Their conversation was still passably soft as her companion shuffled his feet and began, "I don't want to be a bother, but...well Karin only knew basic medical care and the puncture wound I have is pretty tricky, so..."

A gasp and the pinkette rushed, "Oh! Of course! I'm so sorry I didn't offer earlier. Here, just take off your shirt and I'll have a look."

Sasuke decided he'd waited long enough. He turned calmly, flinging the sliding paper screen between he and the pair open with a jarring rattle. Two sets of eyes, one green and the other grey, locked onto him instantaneously. Suigetsu's widened as he stuttered frantically, "Sasuke! I-I well, I mean Pin-Sakura is the-the medical nin and-"

The Uchiha absorbed the scene before him. The Mist nukenin's shirt was pulled almost completely off, only one arm remained through its designated slot and its yellow fabric bunched thickly atop his shoulder on the other side. Sakura's small hands were glowing their distinct green where they were pressed on the lower part of Suigetsu's stomach, below his navel. Raising his eyes from where the two were in contact, he intoned, "What did I tell you, Suigetsu?"

He blinked several times and backed quickly away from the pinkette as he shrugged his shirt back into place. "You said not to approach Sakura. But-"

Striding unhurriedly toward the swordsman, Sasuke asked, "And what are you doing now?"

"I just wanted her help! It's not like-" Suigetsu's explanations ended in a strangled gurgle as his superior moved with inhuman speed to catch him around the neck. As his feet were lifted from the hardwood, grey eyes rolled to stare pleadingly into red ones. Unmercifully, the Uchiha informed him, "I let you live." He flexed his grip and concluded, "I am beginning to think that I chose unwisely."

Sakura panicked as Suigetsu's face began to darken from a breathless red to a deeper purple. When she heard Sasuke's harsh reprimand, she rushed forward to her Genin teammate's side and broke in, "He won't do it again! Please! I told him to come! I-"

Sharingnan eyes didn't waver from their prey as he told her, "Do not lie."

The kunoichi flushed with embarrassment and nervousness. "I'm NOT! I told him to find me if he ever had any medical problems! His stomach wound needed attention! That's not a social call, Sasuke!" Grasping his thick wrist, she stepped as far between the two shinobi as she could. "Please? He won't-" She didn't have time to finish her plea as she was shoved behind Sasuke's broad back and Suigetsu collapsed, gasping to the floor. Green eyes peered around her roommate to the gasping man. She could hear his voice echo from deep in his chest as he said, "Leave. Don't come again."

A mere moment later, Sakura was left standing shell-shocked in the center of the room. Sasuke stalked cagily back to the door he'd entered from, still subtly agitated. The lines of his shoulders told her that. Deciding to try her luck, Sakura ventured, "I'll just get back to my suite then and let you-" She didn't get the chance to finish her hopeful statement as she was physically lifted and dropped onto the soft mattress she'd slept on only moments before. Bouncing slightly on impact, green eyes stared up incredulously at the Uchiha as he simply replied, "No."

Sakura gaped, unable to form words for a moment. At last, once Sasuke had turned once more toward the bath chamber, she gasped, "No? What do you _mean _no?"

The shinobi didn't turn, he simply grunted and muttered, "I won't repeat myself." He didn't allow for further argument as he disappeared through the door to her right.

The kunoichi sat haphazardly as she'd been dropped on the bed and crossed her arms tightly. Flopping back fluidly onto the pillows, Sakura stared moodily at the ceiling. What was his problem? Seriously. He had spent the vast majority of their childhood pretending that she didn't exist and now, years later, he thought he was the divine authority of her life? He had no place to dictate what she could and couldn't do. Even as rebellion and dissent rose in her heart and mind, Sakura didn't allow her hopes to rise. She knew what gave him rights. His sheer power.

Sasuke Uchiha had always been exceptional. Hell, it'd been one of the original things that had attracted her to him. He had a distinct presence when he walked into a room. Now that 'presence' had tangibly manifested into a hellish chakra aura. Green eyes darkened at the memory of his angry, roiling energy. It was like a physical representation of his killing intent. She could feel it resonating from him when he'd attacked Suigetsu both times. That night in the forest, however, was nearly incomparable to the more recent occurance.

The massive waves of feral blood lust and cool intent had been disorienting and nauseating in intensity. Standing next to an angry Sasuke was a lot like sitting in a canopy during a lightening storm. It was breathtaking to be so near such raw strength but still undeniably dangerous and foolhardy. The pinkette could remember the residual static charge in the very air around the Uchiha that night. The air was thin and dry as it virtually vibrated with latent electricity. This man, no longer a boy, was a force to be reckoned with.

Distantly, she remembered Yamato's comment when they'd seen Sasuke at the destroyed Sound base years ago. He was dangerous then. Now he was downright deadly. Her thoughts proceeded, mostly circling the same subject: Sasuke, for another ten or fifteen minutes. She absently noted the sound of the shower starting up, the soft sound of falling water filtering to her ears as a low hum. After some time, she began to shift restlessly. She needed to use the restroom. Badly. Growling peevishly to herself, Sakura worked up her nerve.

She was going to her suite. End of story. There was no way she was going to use the bathroom while Sasuke was showering in the same room. Absolutely, positively NOT. Breathing deeply, she rolled onto her feet. As her feet touched down on the smooth wood floor, she concentrated on keeping her footsteps as light as physically possible. If she could just make it down to her room, use the restroom and gather some clothes before Sasuke noticed her absence, she'd be home free.

Her inner ego cackled and jeered at that pipe dream. Ignoring the nagging voice, Sakura muttered mentally to herself. 'Light as a feather. Light as a feather. Light as a-YES!' A prideful smile lifted her lips as she slipped at last into the hallway. She made it a grand total of two steps toward her suite. In fact, her fingers were still touching the lacquered wood of the screen behind her, sliding it carefully closed when it was ripped nearly from its track.

A solid chest pinned her bodily to the wall behind her, dampening the thin fabric of her sleeveless shirt. Warm skin, still beaded with hot water, pressed against her arms. Jerking her hands up to push back against the force, Sakura inhaled sharply at the droplets that slid from her assailant's skin into the valleys between her fingers. As the water dripped up, over her knuckles and down the backs of her hands, she turned green eyes up to face the man who'd caught her.

Dark, dripping spikes of black hair stuck to her blushing cheeks as she lifted her head. Even deeper eyes stared back at her. Though the entrancing, swirling tomoes of the Sharingnan were not engaged...Sakura was hypnotized.

Sasuke's generally pale face was flushed with color from the heat of his shower and his shorter, jagged bangs hung in staccato formations over either cheekbones. The longer strands of his hairstyle were the ones trailing the thin skin beneath her captivated eyes. At this distance, Sakura could see a thin, black line that surrounded his almond shaped orbs. Almost like those that surrounded Gaara of the Sand's aquamarine ones. They gave him a tired, haggard appearance. But as she traced the bruise-like outline, the pinkette reconsidered her first opinion. The longer she examined them, the more the lines seemed to emphasize the oval, aristocratic form of his feline eyes. Her inner ego boasted that only Sasuke-kun could make exhaustion and insomnia look good.

Those predatory, hypnotic eyes were burning angrily into hers. The shinobi was silent as the girl studied his face, her lips slightly gapped as she breathed choppily. He felt a masculine sort of pride as he felt her chest rise and fall rapidly against his own. Placing a heavy palm on the slight dip of her clavicle, his thumb rested lightly against the hallow of her throat as his fingers skimmed the upper rise of her shoulder blade. Her racing heartbeat thrummed erratically under the heel of his hand. He could feel the short bursts of air over his lips as he dropped his wet forehead against hers and muttered, "Sakura."

Sakura's breathing hitched as his bare chest rumbled against her soaked front. Swallowing thickly, she found herself incapable of speech and instead hummed questioningly, her voice trilling sharply with her nerves. A smirk danced a faint curve on his thin lips and he waited a moment more. When she failed to verbally respond after another moment, the Uchiha dragged the sculpted tip of his nose down her short, pert bridge and gazed directly in her eyes. The kunoichi watched in exquisite detail as deep red pigment flooded into his iris and the pinwheel shapes of his Clan's secret technique formed. The commas spun lazily as he spoke, the abnormally warm flesh of his mouth just shy of touching hers as he murmured, "What are you doing?" Each word was punctuated by a short, antagonizing pause as he exhaled hotly onto her lips.

The pinkette couldn't find the strength of focus to string the words she wanted to use together. Her muddled mind fluttered with fragments of responses, but left her undeniably tongue-tied. Blinking rapidly and finally grasping a coherent thought, the green eyed kunoichi breathed, "I was...going to my suite?" Her light voice trailed upwards in octave as she finished, portraying the statement as a question. As if she were seeking his approval.

His low, grunted response made her oversensatized lips tingle. The short 'hn' was sure intended to be the opening to a point he was about to make when something _interesting_ inturrupted him. Sakura reflexively wet her dry, cracking mouth. As her tongue darted out to dampen her lips, she froze. Her ingrained habit hadn't taken the shinobi standing so close to her into account when it had acted. Her upper surface had been attended without incident, however, when she'd pulled the muscle downward to catch her larger, lower lip, she'd contacted a mouth that was not her own. She had just...

Pearly teeth dug harshly into her own lip as the green eyed female realized what had just taken place. She realized with increasing distress that the calm, even breathing that had been fanning her face had arrested completely. Sakura had just mustered the courage to look into Sasuke's face, she felt a jolt in her abdomen. Before she could even completely raise her head, she'd been pulled with epic speed back into the chamber she'd only just escaped.

Niether saw the red haired figure standing frozen at the end of the hall.

* * *

A carrier hawk screamed in the quiet of early morning. Pale, blonde hair streaked sleekly through the boughs of an enormous tree as the slender form of a kunoichi alighted at one of its highest branches. Baby blue eyes narrowed, studying the bird of prey. Pressing a hand against the device in her ear, Ino Yamanaka said briefly, "Looks like a message from Konoha, Captain Kakashi. Proceed?"

The elite ninja's lazy voice crackled back, "Yeah. Sure. Let me know what it says."

Her blonde head nodded as she gave a short affirmative before standing, extending an arm from the leafy cover of her perch. As the hawk alighted, Ino slipped the scroll from its thin leg and watched silently as the bird took again to wing. Skimming her pretty eyes over the dark scrawl on the surface of the missive, she engaged her radio once more. "Captain? It looks like it's sealed for the mission's leader. Should I bring it back to camp or wait outside just in case?"

A breezy, "Nah," was her answer. Feeling generous, The Copy Ninja added, "Bring it on in. We're not on _that_ high of rank mission, Ino-chan."

The blonde narrowed her eyes at the older man's humor. She'd been doing overtime duty with observing protocol after her little outburst in the civilian town. She jabbed a finger into the device in her ear and hissed, "Yes, Captain. Returning now."

A moment later, she was on the forest floor and pumping chakra into her legs as she jogged back to the small settlement she and her teammates had set up the night before. Hebi's team had gone cold. A frustrated frown marred her features as Ino reached the camp, tossing the sealed note toward Kakashi's lazing form. The man didn't even raise his regard from his little orange book as he plucked the flying scroll from the air one-handed.

He paused, presumably finishing his line before forming a one handed seal and pressing his pointer finger into the intricately inked circle on the message. There was a brief puff of smoke as the chain-like lines that had once wound tightly around the scroll's exterior receded and the parchment unfurled. Kakashi lifted the long train of paper to his face and read it leisurely at first, but with each line, his dark irises hardened. As he finished the letter, he crumpled the parchment and destroyed it with a simple fire jutsu.

Standing abruptly, the Captain approached Shikamaru's reclined position and told him shortly, "I'm needed in Konoha for ANBU business. That is all I can say. You're Captain until I return. Don't engage Hebi. Trail if you catch up to them and I'll find you as soon as possible. Be carefull and don't make stupid decisions." That said, the oldest shinobi of the group disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Ino strode over to her teammate and newly named Captain, standing over him where he was sprawled in the grass. "What was that about?"

The shadow wielder frowned at the clouds floating by in the light blue morning sky and sighed, "I'm not completely sure." He trailed his dark eyes over to his blonde companion's concerned face and crossed arms before saying, "But I'm almost positive it has to do with either Sakura or Sasuke."

Ino's delicate features tightened in distress. Toeing the bright grass at her feet in nervousness, she uttered, "Or both."

Nodding and exhaling tiredly, Shikamaru allowed, "Or both." His spikey ponytail flared out beneath his head as he let it fall back to the earth below, his mahogany eyes breaking away from his kunoichi companion's gaze. He had to explain to Sai, who was refilling canteens, and Naruto, who was still dozing after his late watch, that Kakashi had departed. Scrubbing a hand over suddenly tired eyes, the genius nearly groaned. The blond's reaction was going to be noteworthy, that was for sure.

As the Nara clansman watched puffy, dawn stained clouds drift by overhead, he wondered what his team would do if they caught up to Hebi. Would they do as Kakashi had advised? Or would emotion get the better of the shinobi and kunoichi? Dark eyes traced the outline of a nimbus as he pondered the rhetorical thought, deciding that only time would tell.

* * *

**Wow, sorry this one's a little late guys. / I had some school work that ****crept ****up on me, but here you have it. The next chappie! :3 **

**I know I said I'd post Fealty's next installment first, but the muse just couldn't get going while 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' is playing in the background. XD Adorable, squeaky voices do not equal the angst required for that particular fic, lol. If you'd like a sneak peek to tide you over, though, check out my LJ page. It's under the 'Homepage' option on my Bio. **

**As always, thanks for reading and please review! **


	8. Indigo

**Indigo**

"Kakashi is gone."

For a moment after Shikamaru spoke, Team Konoha was silent. Then the cogs in the still sleepy Naruto's head began to turn. "Whatev-WHAT?" Sitting up straight, he hollered, "What do you mean he's gone?" A rant spilled furiously from him. "Sakura-chan and the Teme are just ahead of us! We're SO CLOSE to catching up and he just LEFT?"

Sai's dark eyes turned to his impulsive teammate, "Naruto, I am sure that Kakashi-sensei has a very good reason to leave."

Settling slightly, the blond visibly deflated. "Yeah, whatever." He looked dejectedly around at the faces of the other members of the Jounin squad. They were unsurprised by his characteristic outburst. A little ashamed, he opted to seek some solace to sort through the rest of his thoughts. "I'm gonna go scout ahead. I'll send back a clone when I'm sure we're good to head out."

Shikamaru recognized the offer for what it was and agreed. As the suddenly subdued shinobi disappeared into the treeline, headed northeast, Sai watched him go. The 'emotionless' boy felt a tug of something in his chest at Naruto's behavior. Clinically, he dissected the strange sensation. It was a vague, elusive sort of ache. Like pressure on a half healed wound. He compared the feeling to the definitions he'd long ago memorized and decided on a label for it. Pity.

The dark haired former ROOT member began to pack up his supplies automatically, ignoring the quiet chatter of his Captain and Ino. Another glance to the vegetation Naruto had disappeared through and he acknowledged that he felt sorry for the blond ninja. All that he wanted was to reunite his shattered team. Sai had heard Kakashi speak of it to Tsunade-sama when they thought the team was occupied. They thought that Naruto considered it his family. As a former part of an organization that made a point to destroy bonds, he couldn't say that he explicitly knew what his teammate was feeling...but he could assume. After all, he'd lost a brother once.

Leaves rustled as an orange clad, quickly moving blur flashed through their midst. Whisker slashed cheeks were red with more embarrassment than exertion. He was tired of being the Village idiot. No matter how hard he tried, Sasuke was always miles ahead and Sakura was always ten times more composed...respected. Launching himself agilely over a large boulder, Naruto glared into the greenery in front of him. He didn't want to be the obnoxious loudmouth forever. He wanted to be someone worthwhile, someone with a place in the city he loved. The blond charged ahead, scouring his surroundings as he went.

A flash of pink out of the corner of his eyes made his heart stop. He was standing above the offending summer blooming flora in an instant. Staring down at the wide face of the flower, Naruto felt his stomach clench. Pale pink petals shone in the speckled light of the forest. Sakura was travelling with Hebi. Kind, innocent, Konoha loving Saku-chan was kidnapped by a band of nukenin. A mirthless grin slid onto the blond's tan face. And it was lead by the man she would follow to the ends of the earth.

Letting his head tip backward, catching dappled sunlight on his upturned face, Naruto hoped with all his strength that Sasuke wouldn't hurt her. Blue eyes hardened. The Teme he'd known would insult, belittle and generally tease their kunoichi teammate, but never so much as dream of hurting her. A sinking feeling overcame him as he remembered the strength of the shinobi he'd met at the destroyed Sound base. The man Sasuke had forged himself into may not have retained the same moral impediments. He had a bad feeling.

He settled his gaze onto the pink bloom, noticing for the first time that various weeds were curling around the delicate plant. Their fibrous vines were entangling the wildflower's stem, choking it in a vice grip. A quick glance at the canopy told him that the leaves there were blocking the majority of the sun's rays from reaching the floor of the woodland. Frustration rose in his chest. Obstacles were always stacking against the undeserving, the vulnerable. A moment later, the vines had been savagely chopped back, freeing the bloom. A thick ray of sunshine beamed down from the sky onto the little pink flower where it was nestled in the roots of an ancient tree. Distantly, the sound of falling branches echoed in the still forest.

Squeezing the oozing stem of a plucked weed, Naruto continued on his way. He could save the vulnerable, make sure they weren't smothered by the greedy or less kind. Blue eyes set determinately ahead as he dropped the sticky plant and flicked his fingers through a jutsu, sending a shadow clone back to Shikamaru. Pausing on a high bough, Naruto decided he'd find his place in Konoha by being a protector. And he was going to start with Sakura. He was going to save her from Sasuke.

* * *

Sakura was dizzy. The sensation of smooth hardwood skated over her toe for a moment and she assumed she was being carried. Her vision was blotted out by the proximity of damp, pale skin and dark hair. Her heart was in her throat over what had just happened. How was Sasuke going to react? Green eyes squinted shut, reluctant to face what was sure to be an unpleasant reaction. When she felt the softness of a duvet against her bare arms and legs, she slowly forced them open.

Smokey black eyes stared back at her. Gulping slightly and redirecting her eyes, she found that he was hardly dressed. The dark hakamas he wore were slung low on his hips and clung wetly to his thighs, as though he'd tossed them on as he stepped from the shower. Sasuke was on all fours above her, his arms braced and bent at the elbow at either side of her head. His broad frame dwarfed hers, caging her within the perimeter of his limbs. Sakura didn't know what to call the expression that was playing in his eyes.

Sasuke wasn't sure what it was about her that captured his attention. He'd always thought her bright hair was garish and flamboyantly feminine. Her skin wasn't fashionably pale like most noblewomen's, rather it was lightly tanned from time spent outdoors. Her features weren't porcelain perfection. Green eyes were nearly too large for her face and her eyelashes were so long and sloped that they seemed to tangle at their outer corners when she blinked too deeply. Her button nose curved upward almost ridiculously, giving her the air of a girl barely out of childhood. Dark eyes fell to her final facial feature, the one that he hadn't yet scrutinized. Her lips.

The objects in question were currently gaped, a slight sheen still clinging to the top one, where it'd been rewetted. Its fuller mate, however, was dry and unattended. The flesh he was studying was naturally a pale pink that complemented her skin tone nicely. They were her most attractive feature, if he had to choose. As he observed Sakura's face as a whole, he decided she was pretty enough. Not a stunning, ethereal beauty, but she had a measure of _something_ that drew men in droves.

Maybe it was her innocence. The fact that her pale skin was unmarred, despite her profession, or its silky texture. She was like a child in her stubborn optimism and naivety. It was utterly frustrating. Dark eyes bored into confused green and wondered if she knew how _easily_ she could be taken advantage of. Used emotionally, his hand stilled as his eyes churned to red, or physically.

The possibility made him undeniably furious. The pinkette pinned under him was too trusting of people. Too readily accepting. His left hand, the one still resting by her ear, partially covered by a soft layer of pink locks, fisted. She was still the annoying little kunoichi who had no business playing ninja. Narrowing his eyes, the Uchiha wondered if she was still a Genin. Or perhaps she'd moved up to Chuunin? He doubted she'd graduated to Jounin. His hands began to move again, this time finding narrow, slender hands.

Buffed, lotion-softened callouses he found there proved his point. She was too _soft_ for what she was trying to do. Trapping her fragile digits in his much larger palm, he asked again, "What are you doing?" This time his tone was soft, quiet and rhetorical.

The pinkette didn't realize. "I told you, I was just-" She trailed off when the bare chested man above her leaned closer, trapping her further. She had to either look directly into his features or turn her head. Deciding to rise to the challenge, she quieted but remained locked onto his gaze.

When she stopped speaking, Sasuke specified, "You're a medical ninja."

Pink brows drew down. She was unsure of his line of reasoning and she began, "Yes. My chakra control dictated that. However I can also-"

"Ninja destroy life." He shook his head, as though he was disapproving or disappointed. "You reverse that."

Green eyes hardened at the slanted insult. Pursing her lips, she retorted, "Someone has to. Besides, it was a _worthy_ enough profession to warrant me a place on your team."

Sasuke didn't reply, he just tugged their joined hands up, away from the sheets and into his line of sight. He laid quietly, observing the contrast between the two. Sakura's was small and a little tan while his was large and almost sickly pale. He knew that various scars and thick callouses decorated the palm of his hand as well as his fingers but found that hers where hardly rough at all.

His eyes were still fixed on her slim fingers when he said, "I chose you to serve as my medical specialist." Sasuke felt her body shift as if she were readying herself to retort, he added, "Not as the whole team's."

Sakura's face fell, her eyes sharpening angrily. "Why are you so hateful towards Suigetsu?" Wriggling, she attempted to put a little space between them, so she could think. She didn't succeed. He just tugged the hand he had possession of lazily, dragging her right back where she started. Growling in frustration, she hissed, "What has he done to you?"

He stared point blank into her furious emerald eyes and told her, "He's not Naruto." The pinkette stilled instantly, anger-squinted eyes going wide. Sure that he had her attention, he continued, "He's a nukenin. You should fear him, not befriend him."

The kunoichi smirked into his blank features. "You can stop trying to scare me, Sasuke. It's not going to trick me into doing what you want me to do! I-"

He ignored her. "He likes to torture his victims. Did he tell you that?" Sasuke released her hand, trailing his pointer and middle finger along the invisible seam where her arm attached to her torso. "Limbs go first, usually arms." Locking bloody red eyes onto her shocked ones, he smirked, "That way they can't fight back." He returned his gaze to what he was doing. "Unless it's someone that he thinks is a minimal threat. Then he goes for the fingers, wrists..." Encircling her wrist with his hand, he looked to the stunned female.

Her open palmed slap caught him off guard. Turning his face, following the direction of the blow, he neutralized most of the force behind it. His cheek was glowing red, nonetheless, when he faced Sakura again. He was standing in an instant. When her eyes didn't follow him, he briskly turned her face until he could see her and growled, "Stay in this room." He waited until her eyes trailed up to his to mutter, "Do not test me."

Sakura watched as he stalked out of the room, pausing only to grab a shirt before the sliding the door shut with a snap. Jade eyes lingered on the doorway for a long time afterwards. He was right about Suigetsu. The Mist shinobi wasn't Naruto, which, if she was honest with herself, was what had drawn her to him. Their personalities were surprisingly similar, despite their various differences. But then again, she'd known that. Running exhausted hands through her short locks, the kunoichi sighed tiredly. Sasuke wasn't making sense at all. Her hands ran the length of her hair then paused to hover in front of her face. Green energy glowed from them, humming slightly as she routed her chakra to her fingertips.

Her skills were passable. She knew that she wasn't on par with he or Naruto, but then again she never had been. All she wanted was to be able to keep up. Pressure behind her eyes told her tears were collecting there. Sakura wanted to be accepted as a kunoichi. As a ninja. The rest of Rookie Nine must have still seen her as the pathetic little fangirl who couldn't keep her team together. It made her sick to think of it. She needed to put Team Seven back together. Not for everyone else, but for herself. Wetness pooled in the seam of her eyelids, coating her lashes and dampening the thin skin at the outer corners. She'd convinced herself that if Sasuke came back, they could all be happy again. That possibility was sinking fast away from her. He didn't seem to want to go back.

Letting her eyes slip shut, she remembered what she'd seen in Karin's room. Maybe Sasuke had finally found whatever it was that he looked for in a woman. Fiery hair, eyes as red as his and a tall, athletic figure. Caustically she added, and nukenin status. That was probably a must. Twisting the soft sheets between her fingers, she told herself that he had no interest in short, green eyed kunoichi with undying devotion to her Village. She just wasn't his type. Wetness breached her eyelashes, the first pair of tears making their way unevenly down the sides of her face, away from her eyes and into the hair above her ears.

Her presence with Team Hebi served a single purpose. To heal him once Itachi was dead. She was a means to an end. Memories of the days she'd spent traveling with the nukenin revealed to her that he'd only specifically instructed her to heal Karin. How sweet. Bile rose in her throat at the thought. He'd more or less punished her for helping Juugo or Suigetsu. Darkened green eyes studied the white ceiling. He really had no attachment to the other members of his team. No bonds. A sad smile spread on her face as she thought wondered if it'd become second nature to him...breaking bonds.

Tortuously she wondered what made Karin different.

More tears coursed slowly from her open eyes, though her breathing hardly hitched. Eventually her eyes dried up, though a deep, familiar ache remained in her chest. She dozed in and out of consciousness until the soft sound of the door sliding back woke her from a light nap. Knowing Sasuke wouldn't be fooled even if she remained still, she sat up slowly instead. His tall, lean figure was cast in shadow. Pale moonlight was pouring in from the left, where she'd opened the window while the day was young, hoping for a breeze. The light spilled in a silvery fashion over his strong features, making them appear even more defined.

She heard him drop something onto the nightstand as he approached, and she assumed it was something to eat. Sakura didn't bother to check. Instead she watched silently as he tugged off his loose shirt and toed off his sandals at the opposite side of the bed. She felt her stomach flip. She hadn't thought about sleeping arrangements. He didn't pull the covers back, he simply settled on top of them with back towards her as he settled in. His eyes flickered shut and didn't open again. Five or so minutes later, when she remained frozen in a sitting position, he murmured, "Sleep."

Keeping her eyes on his closed lids, Sakura slowly slid back to the position she'd been sleeping in. Once she'd curled up, facing the person sharing the bed, she hesitantly closed her eyes and waited for sleep. Dreams of broken teams and failure found her soon enough. She didn't know that dark eyes snapped open and would remain that way for the rest of the night at her first mumbled, '_Sasuke-kun_.'

Sasuke listened as the pinkette beside him relived their Genin days. _'Sasuke-kun..you like..walk..home..?...Oh..alright...understand._' Her speech was slow and broken, as she slept fitfully, but he understood the bulk of her sentiments. He listened to her lie_. 'M..fine...Naruto.' 'No! shi..shou..can focus...'s fine._' Learned that she feared failing, being left behind. Her last words, before she shifted and fell silent, rang in his mind_. 'You..love her, Sasuke..?_' Black eyes bored into pale hair in the dim light of early morning. Who was she talking about?

The shinobi pushed the thought into the back of his mind as he stood and prepared for his day. Ten minutes later, he was ready. He stood for a moment at the window she'd left ajar the day before. Pulling it soundly shut after noticing rain on the horizon, he turned slightly, obeserving Sakura's profile. She was breathing deeply, soundly at last, her chest rising and falling normally. Her features had slackened and she seemed to be resting peacefully.

He couldn't decide if the girl he'd heard last night, the Sakura he left in Konoha, or the kunoichi who'd dealt him a blow made him angrier. The Sakura he'd met in that dusty little town wasn't the feminine, erring little thing he'd known in his Genin days. She was someone stronger, more world-wise. That Sakura had moved on in his absence, grown without him. Something curled in the pit of his stomach at the thought. She was a woman who didn't need or want his opinion. Something heavy, like guilt weighed in his mind as he reflected on what he'd heard the night before.

Stepping up to the edge of the mattress, he realized that the insecure little kunoichi he'd left behind had only developed a tough exterior. She wasn't truly gone. Dropping into an easy crouch, he let himself inspect her sleeping features. This older, stronger version of Sakura was the same one he'd left behind. This girl had simply lost her fear of upsetting him. The svelte figure on the bed shifted suddenly, he rolled his weight back quickly, resting on his heels, ready to move away. When her eyes remained closed and her breathing patterned, he remained.

Sasuke watched silently as she wiggled and squirmed in her sleep until one of her hands was free of the sheets and lolled off the edge of the bed. Her fingertips hovered inches from his jawline as she hummed absently. For a long moment, he balanced there on the balls of his feet, her hand only scant inches from brushing his face. A sound outside broke the shinobi from his reverie. Shoving off from the ground, he carefully folded her arm back, resting it across her chest and backing away at last. Without another glance to the sleeping pinkette, he slipped out of the suite.

He stepped soundlessly into the living room, casting his eyes over the assembled team in their various disguises. Today was the day the final stage of the plan began. A smirk settled over Sasuke's features. Itachi would be dead soon.

* * *

**Woo. Finished at last. XD I actually nearly finished the two chapters that follow this before I could roll this one out. It just didn't want to leave my head and get onto paper in an acceptable, IC fashion. The next chapters will be quicker updates, though. :3**

**AngeLhearteD wrote another AMAZING one-shot. It's under my Favorite Stories section and is titled 'Flight.' If you're a fan of this series, please drop by and read her take on one of my scenes. She's outdone herself again! :)**

**If you'd like an explination as to the reasons behind the chapter titles, go to my LJ Page (under Homepage on my bio) and look for the thread 'CT Chapter Titles Addressed.' I'll add the post for Indigo later tonight! Thanks! :D**

**Chapter 9: Red is coming by Friday! **

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	9. Red Part One

**Red**

**Part One**

"Suigetsu?"

Turning fog grey eyes toward Juugo, the shinobi asked, "What?"

The taller ninja shifted restlessly in his seat, rearranging himself before asking, "Where is Sakura?" A low 'psh' interrupted the white haired boy's response. Juugo's mellow gaze widened at Karin's blunt dislike for the mere mention of the medic's name.

Suigetsu turned to the red head, saying frankly, "Careful Karin, your jealously's showing. It's not flattering."

"Jealous? Of that child? Right." Crossing her arms, the tracking specialist turned to face the hall that lead to the master suite. The two signatures she could see within made her expression sour further.

The Mist ninja just snorted. Turning back to his companion, he answered, "She's under lock and key. The big man doesn't want anyone talking to her."

Golden eyes squinted a little, in thought. "Why? She must have had a reason to leave. Did she-"

A growl cut him off. Karin snarled, "She's not a saint! She left because she's a traitor!"

The sharp toothed shinobi laughed at that. "Traitor?" Looking to the fuming kunoichi, he levelled, "_We_ are traitors. Nukenin. She's the only _loyal_ ninja among us."

She laughed sharply. "Oh, you're right! She's so wonderful! I'm just an idiot, how could I not see it?" Switching gears abruptly, she hissed, "Are you stupid? If any of us had run we'd be _dead_! What makes her so godsdamned special?"

Juugo piped up helpfully, "She was his teammate in Konoha. When they were young."

Karin just settled back into the cushion of the love seat she was settled on. "Whatever. You're all blind." Red wine eyes flicked to the long window next to the villa's front entrance. Tracing the distant stone path that made up the walkway, she dwelt on what had happened recently. She was assigned to a mission that she hated. The man she more or less loved was following a pale faced doll of a kunoichi around like a puppy. Hell, she'd seen him show more emotion in the week or so since they'd found _Sakura_ than she'd in all the previous time she'd spent with him combined. It was sickening.

The Konoha native was tiny. Petite, slender and short, she fit next to Sasuke's looming, dark presence in a way that was strangely right. Her choppy, pink hair and bottle green eyes made her look like the very embodiment of spring. Even her kind, nurturing personality corresponded with her feminine little name: Sakura. Karin's lips twisted into a deeper frown. She tried so hard to earn Sasuke's attention and that little slip of a girl got it without even meaning to. It was unfair.

She couldn't even write the girl off as a pretty face. The pinkette had held off she and Suigetsu for a number of minutes with her hands more or less tied behind her back. It was embarrassing. Huffing and tightening her crossed arms, the red head fanned her chakra. The calm green cloud of the medic's signature was pulsing a soft rhythm. She was asleep. The proximity of it to the crackling, roiling storm of Sasuke's chakra made her blood boil. The dark shinobi's distinct thundercloud formation was hovering next to the smaller, more concentrated gathering of the female's energy.

Deep dark blue was forking out, nearly touching the placid surface of the jade aura. Red eyes widened. She'd never seen Sasuke's chakra fluctuate in anything but anger or annoyance. The usual lightening like strikes of his energy were softer, more like waving branches in an enormous tree. The kunoichi even subconsciously regulated the Uchiha's chaotic chakra. Karin felt her stomach roll and her ribcage shrink. Her lungs felt constricted and her eyes prickled with tears.

He was always like that with her. A silent guardian. Suigetsu hadn't been the first to notice the quiet attention that their team leader paid the pinkette medic. Karin had noticed the shift as soon as she walked into the camp, the first night the kunochi had joined the team. Sasuke didn't distance himself from them as he usually did from then on. Instead, he would alight silently at the edge of their designated resting place and simply watch. He subtly, wordlessly treated Sakura like a fragile, breakable thing. Karin wondered if the protective behavior was even on a conscious level for Sasuke.

Her unique gift for tracking chakra had gotten her a lot of places in life. It'd made up for less than superb taijutsu or genjutsu skills. Sasuke had even chosen her for Hebi based on it. But now it was only a pathetic way to watch her crush be with a kunoichi she didn't feel like she could measure up to. It made her sick. Turning her head sharply to hide her curiously wet eyes from Suigetsu's searching gaze, she felt the pins she'd used to secure her wig prod her scalp painfully. A frustrated sound emanated from her throat. Nothing was working out for her today.

Burgundy eyes widened as they studied the careful stiching of the furniture she was resting on. Her mission! She couldn't drive Sasuke away from Sakura, but she could hurt her. A catty grin lifted her lips. Yes, she could defiantly go down swinging. She may loose the battle for Sasuke's regard, but she could bow out with a distinct flair. Gripping the contact container in her palm, she began to plan.

* * *

Ino's baby blue eyes calmly assessed the sprawling resort laid out before her. White buildings were capped with bright, steeply sloped, traditional roofs. Beautiful gardens and paths were scattered everywhere. It was a gorgeous place to be held captive. Seriously. Sakura was always accidentally lucking out that way. A rueful smile lit the blonde's features as she thought of her pink haired friend.

The collar of the Jounin jacket she wore brushed her neck as she shifted on her branch. Flicking her long ponytail out of the high neck so that it fell properly down her back, the Yamanaka starred down at her attire. She had earned Jounin status before Sakura. The green eyed girl had been saddened when she returned from Suna to that news. Ino had of course gloated, jokingly saying the better kunoichi had won out. But in reality, Sakura had been on a Jounin worthy mission to Wind Country, healing the young Kazekage from a poisoned wound not unlike his older brother's from years before. The honor that someone as influential as a Kage would request a Chuunin by name was far more noteworthy than being the first of two friends to reach Jounin rank.

Shifting her weight and preparing to return to camp, Ino idly noted that she'd be sure to tell her friend that when they got her back. After all, the blonde kunoichi felt slightly responsible. Maybe if she hadn't given her such a hard time about their rankings...Sakura wouldn't have rushed to get ready for the next exam. Then perhaps she wouldn't have been passing through that little nowhere place where Sasuke had found her. Blue eyes deepened a shade. Shikamaru had already sighingly consoled her that it was a statistical probability that the two former teammates would have met again at some point, anyway.

The thought of her lazy teammate and his nonsense numbers made her mood lighten a little. Turning away from the resort, only barely visible through the thick forest without binoculars, Ino began to pick her way back toward Team Konoha. A solid five minutes of chakra enhanced travel later, and the kunoichi was landing quietly at the fringes of the camp. She stepped into the ring of flickering light cast by the newly lit fire and said nothing. Rather she walked silently to seat herself next to their team Captain.

When her slight weight settled onto the log next to him, Shikamaru didn't have to ask what the cause of his teammate's melancholy was. The blonde's generally buoyant, engaging personality had virtually vanished and the genius didn't need his superior reasoning to realize why. A slow assessment of the two remaining members of the team revealed similar moral. Naruto was sitting dejectedly on his bedroll, halfheartedly eating a bowl of pre-prepared rice. Sai was carefully, methodically inking seals onto his wrists and forearms. Tension and sadness were thick in the air.

Everyone knew that they'd caught up to Hebi. Each also realized that their hands were proverbially tied until Kakashi returned or news came from Konoha. It was a henious sort of torture to be so close to a missing comrade but remain unable to free them. Mahogany eyes caught a flicker of firelight, flaring gold for a moment before returning to deep brown. His fist tightened atop his thigh, and Shikamaru spoke at last, "There is," all attention was instantly focused on him, "one way that we can immediately rescue Sakura."

The excited expressions that stole over the faces of his subordinates made the Nara clansman feel a little better for exploiting the loophole he'd found, despite his better judgement. "If she is in clearly dangerous situation that exceeds a mortality projection of greater than sixty five percent...we can act without express permission from the Council or Hokage."

Naruto's bright blue eyes shone clearly in the dim light of the setting sun. "She's gotta be in at least that much trouble now! We should-"

Shikamaru sighed and shook his head, "No, this is why I hesitated to mention this alternative. It's a very specific window of opportunity. The act of even getting close enough to gauge Sakura's safety is nearly an infraction on our standing orders." When Ino perked up, ready to offer her reconnaissance expertise, he added, "And I'm nearly positive that only I can properly assess and calculate the situation, let alone give the executive order."

As the blonde at his side deflated, Shikamaru pondered for a moment. Glancing to the kunoichi's haunched posture and glassy blue eyes, the lazy shinobi felt his chest give a peculiar lurch. He drew a deep breath and inconspicuously brushed the back of his hand over her bare upper arm in consolation before beginning, "However, I believe that I'll be able to present a suitable defense should the need arise."

A genuine smile broke over Sai's features (a feat that Sakura had helped him achieve) and Naruto whooped loudly. An airy, delighted sound streamed from the slender girl beside him. Shikamaru grinned and muttered an obligatory, "Troublesome." The prankster of Konoha jumped from his sitting position, hitting a pose that would make Rock Lee proud as he cheered, "Yes! Sakura-chan, here we come! We're gonna save you from mean old Teme! Yeah!"

Raising an eyebrow at the shorter male's raised fist, Shikamaru broke in, "Naruto? I need you and Sai to return to the last village we passed through, get any information about the resort up ahead that you can. Especially client names and reputations. You know the drill, shops will be closed by now but bars will be opening up. Report back by first light." The two shinobi nodded and quickly gathered minimal supplies before departing into the forest.

Pale, deceptively toned arms slid around his middle as the two men disappeared. A warm cheek settled onto the small patch of skin left bare above his flak jacket, near where his collarbones met his neck. He lowered his head until his nose could inhale the faint honey scent of Ino's long mane, smiling a little as a voice spoke quietly into his chest. "Thank you."

Nodding, chin bumping her crown lightly as it burrowed into her voluminous hair, he replied, "You're troublesome." The faint feeling of his knuckles skating down the length of her arm nullified any sting the response may have held. The kunoichi just giggled a little, squeezing a little before drawing reluctantly back from her teammate's reassuring presence. Dropping her arms to her sides, the suddenly awkward girl bounced her hands against her knees a little before hopping up. Blue eyes flickered around her Captain's dark gaze as she stuttered, "Well, I guess I'm going to turn in!" Laughing a little forcibly, the blonde skirted over to her sleepingmat and began preparing her bed.

Ino watched her hands as she mechanically unrolled the foam bedding then arranged thin blankets over it. The surge of warmth and contentedness when she'd hugged Shikamaru had been a little unsettling. Not unexpected, but jarring nonetheless. She could feel heat radiating from her cheeks. Embarrassment settled in her gut as she reflected on the impromptu embrace. She'd left her arms wrapped around the shinobi for a shade too long and now she could feel his questioning gaze on her back. He'd looked out for her and comforted her like a good teammate--and she'd single handedly gone and made it awkward. Shrugging off her Jounin vest and tucking herself in rather violently, Ino closed her eyes tightly and prayed for sleep.

Dark eyes watched the slender kunoichi bustle around near the fireside with interest. His generally confident teammate seemed strangely off kilter. Thinking back on the reassuring touches he'd used only moments before, the shinobi felt his spine stiffen. Had he overstepped an unseen boundary? Shikamaru's brilliant mind whirled with possibilities and concluded that he'd only done what experience had dictated. Ino was a very physical, outright person. He had acted accordingly. Logically, it was most probable that she would respond best to tactile consolation. The sweet smell of honey lingered in his nose as he wondered if an unforeseen factor had interfered, resulting in his actions. He'd objectively caught himself being uncharacteristically impulsive and irrational in her favor recently. His revelation of the option to free Sakura was a prime example.

Had the decision been purely up to him, Shikamaru knew in a clinical sense that he would never act without direct word from his superiors. Thinking and planning mentally were one thing. Staring into periwinkle eyes and delivering the stark logic was an entirely different manner. Someone as emotion based and impatient as his female teammate would never take statistics and clean cut numbers to mind when precious people were involved. The bombshell blonde simply wouldn't hear things like that.

The Nara clansman just wasn't sure what he could do when the Yamanaka he'd known for his entire life suddenly turned introverted. Settling back and lazily falling into his usual watch, Shikamaru quietly hoped that he hadn't done something irreconcilable to the bond between he and Ino. Deep brown eyes traced the careful slope of her back where she laid, sleeping soundly on her stomach, he simply didn't know what he'd do if he had.

* * *

A heavy sigh made Juugo glance to the shorter male walking before him. Adjusting his grip on the umbrella he was holding aloft, the large shinobi looked back to the pavement passing under his feet. As he listened to the nobleman beside Suigetsu quiz the nukenin on asinine political matters, he thanked the gods that he'd been assigned to act as a simple bodyguard. The Mist nin he was 'protecting' had nearly torn his pearly hair out trying to memorize all of the information he needed to know for his part. After all, even the spoiled son of an influential family would know the surrounding provinces' alliances, leaders and so on. Watching the generally impatient, crass shinobi he knew play a well bred aristocrat was something that greatly amused Juugo. The irony of shielding a water loving ninja from the rain with the large parasol in his hand didn't escape him, either.

Golden eyes flickered to his right and widened considerably. Karin, disguised of course, was carrying a dainty umbrella of her own, using the other to flick an ornamental fan in front of her face coyly. Her sparse, provocative attire made her already long legs seem endless and the blonde wig and green contacts she'd donned made her unrecognizable as the Sound kunoichi she truly was. What had surprised him, though, was the single strand of bright red hair hanging starkly behind her right shoulder.

The bright shade as well as the added length made the lock all the more damning. It fluttered nearly to her shoulder blade while the rest of her false mane hardly graced her shoulders. Juugo thought quickly and mentally laid out a plan of action. Speeding his steps almost imperceptibly, the berserker tugged abruptly on the offending strand. He moved as quickly as he was physically able, trying his best to keep a blank face and avoid attracting the attention of the nobleman still chatting with Suigetsu.

Fake green eyes glared angrily at him before rounding in realization. The 'blonde's steps faltered a little on the lantern-lit cobblestones she was tredding, her fan stilling. She flicked the accessory shut, tucking it demurely into her girdle like obi. A flicker of movement later, the strand was stuffed under her flase hairline and she was tittering softly at something the noble said.

Juugo watched as the long red strand began to slip from beneath the wig once more. A quick tap on the back of the kunoichi's neck alerted her. When she fixed it with a flair, flipping her short locks for good measure, he could hear her growl softly. Catching her eye, he mouthed, 'Pin it.'

The girl fluttered her fan, concealing her face from everyone but Juugo as she replied soundlessly, 'Can't. No pins.'

Frowning, the shinobi wondered what she would do. He was surprised when her voice addressed the nobleman before her. "Tou-sama?" The middle aged man's plain eyes locked beadily onto her. "I'm so very sorry, but I really must get back to the Main House." Angling the fan over her face, she murmured, "I have other patrons to attend to."

The man frowned. "A pity." As he leered at her displayed cleavage, he added, "My master has requested company for tonight. Will you still be occupied then?"

Long lashes batted as she replied, "I'll make time for the honored damiyo, of course."

Tou grinned, displaying discolored teeth. "Good. Good. Ken-sama will be very pleased."

A high, trilling laugh tumbled from Karin's throat. "Not nearly as pleased as I will surely be."

He joined her laughter for a moment before flicking a final glance down the female's body. When he turned back to walk along with Suigetsu, Karin took her leave. Juugo's golden eyes tracked her progress as she made her way back to Hebi's villa until she was out of sight.

* * *

When Sakura woke, the sky had darkened with the approaching night and it was raining. The combined scent of water and whatever masculine spice Sasuke seemed to exude made her groggy. A slow movement of her head dragged her warmed skin over the soft texture of the linen sheet beneath her cheek. One deep inhale and she decided it was time to get up. Groaning a little as her stiffened muscles stretched, the pinkette sluggishly sat up.

She ran a hand over her eyes to clear them and glanced to the window to her left. The glass was speckled thickly with long currents of water. A soft thrumming was audible as the droplets battered the sturdy pane. Her heavy exhale made her slouch forward as she listened quietly to the rain. Biting the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, Sakura stood, making her way to the window.

The world outside looked like a painting. Everything was saturated, their colors deepened. The waterlogged grass was bright against the white walls of the buildings in the distance and the flowering blooms nearby gleamed. Rain was still streaming steadily from the sky and a distant rumble of thunder made her smile. She enjoyed listening to thunderstorms. A brief flash of light in the distance made her curious.

Sliding the window open, she grinned as the first few cool splashes of water impacted her forearms and hair. The kunoichi stood still for a moment, leaning a bit over the sill, trying to determine whether the storm was rolling in or blowing out. As the warm, damp air surrounding her stirred in a chilly breeze, lifting her short hair around her ears, she determined that it was still approaching. The frame rattled a little as the petite girl slid the pane back closed.

She was still standing, letting the beads of moisture slip down her arms when she heard the door behind her jerk open. A green eyed Karin stood in the doorway. Sakura blinked in surprise. The taller kunoichi strode into the room, thrusting a scroll into the pinkette's hands. A condescending glower fell over her features when she noticed they were wet. In a curt tone, the red head said, "You've got an assignment."

The shorter girl perked up. She was finally going to get a chance to find out just what was going on! She listened carefully as Karin explained, "A description of the henge you need to use is on the scroll. You're to report to the Maito Villa at ten o'clock tonight. Find out as much as you can about the weapon detailed on the briefing." Running a critical eye over the physically lesser girl, she quipped, "And don't screw it up."

As she sauntered from the room, leaving a slightly baffled Sakura in her wake, Karin grinned smugly. Her plan was moving along perfectly.

* * *

**End of Red: Part One. Part Two will probably be out by tomorrow night or Monday evening at the latest. I was originally going to post them both as one huge chapter, but decided that this way would be easier. :3 The explanation about this 'Color' won't be up until after Part Two is posted, so don't bother visiting the LJ page just yet.**

**Oh, and on a side note, the events of Color Theory take place several years after the Timeskip of Cannon Naruto. The characters are around eighteen years of age. :)**

**As always, thanks for reading and please review!**


	10. Red Part Two

**Red**

**Part Two**

Naruto snorted loudly at how well Sai fit in at the seedy bar they were visiting. His absent smile and barely there tact made him seem like what Tsunade-baba liked to call a 'happy drunk.' In reality, both of the shinobi had ordered water, but had requested that the liquid be served tumblers. As they steadily threw back glass after glass of non alcoholic beverage, they pretended to become increasingly inebriated.

About fifteen or twenty minutes after they'd stepped into the shady establishment, they finally began asking questions. Sai turned amicably to the man on the stool to his right and asked, "Are you male or female?"

When the slender, slightly effeminate male stood and drew a pair of kodachi, Naruto hastily stepped in just as they'd rehearsed, chiming, "I'm sorry, madam-I mean sir!" The blond laughed a little nervously, even though he knew he could easily take the overly confident chuunin in front of him. "My friend here has had a little too much to drink!" Glancing around furtively, he asked, "You wouldn't happen to know of any nice lodgings around here, would you?" The kyuubi vessel tossed an arm over his still smiling teammate, explaining, "We've been traveling for weeks and we feel like we could use some nice relaxation."

The offended man looked quickly between the two 'drunkards,' as if trying to discern their relationship. Looking back to Naruto and seeming to abandon the question, he replied, "There's a resort a little further north." He eyed the two, "If you and your...friend...want somewhere to rest, you can stop there."

Naruto's sunny smile twitched slightly at the implication. "My _teammate_ and I would really enjoy that, I'm sure." When the man started to settle back into his seat, sheathing his weapon and obviously expecting the odd pair to leave, the blonde man continued, "However, we'd really like to be sure that the resort you're suggesting is right for us. Do you know of any of the patrons? I'd like their opinions."

Staring into the short man's smiling face, the chuunin said, "It's run by the local damiyo, Maito-sama. It's usually just for the wealthy. I'm sure it will serve your purposes just fine."

Sai spoke again, "How wealthy?"

Exasperated, the slender man answered, "Well, supposedly there's a nobleman's son and his entourage staying there now. You know, the usual blue bloods."

The 'drunk,' dark haired man wasn't put off by his thinning patience. "Hmm, I'd like to know which nobleman's son you're talking about. Can you describe him?"

The chuunin scowled. "White hair, kinda tall. That's all I really know, alright? Man, you sure ask a lot of questions!"

Naruto realized that their window of opportunity had passed and broke in. "Well, sounds good enough to me! Let's get going then!" He physically hauled Sai's larger form off of the bar stool and started for the door. Neither noticed the dark, shadowed man sitting at a table in the shadowed reaches of the barroom.

As the figure sat down his glass on the grimy surface of his booth, he muttered a quiet, "Dobe."

* * *

The scroll in Sakura's hand seemed strangely weighty. Something bubbled excitedly in her chest as she unfurled it and ran her eyes over the concise, spiky writing within. It was a basic description of what her appearance should be and what information she was after. Running her fingertips over the tattered end of the parchment, the pinkette wondered if it had been intentional. A sketch at the bottom, under 'Mission Objective,' made her forget about the minor issue. The weapon was a legendary one, fabled to be able to seal whomever it cut into another dimension. Green eyes widened. That explained Hebi's presence in Rain. Sasuke was hunting for an advantage to use against Itachi.

Karin told her that she should report to Maito Villa at ten o'clock. The wall clock read nine. She glanced to the scraps of clothing lying where Karin had tossed them in a chair near the bed. The tiny, abbreviated kimono and girdle sash made Sakura cringe at the thought of squeezing into the outfit. Nibbling her lower lip, the Konoha native clenched her hand decidedly around the briefing. She was going to go through with the mission she'd been assigned.

A deep breath later, she was shucking off her simple sleeveless top and shorts for the much more revealing attire. Red blush rose in her cheeks when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The deep cut of the 'kimono' displayed the majority of the tops of her breasts, while the constricting obi made her waist appear even more petite. Setting her face into determined lines, Sakura ignored her urge to cover herself and preformed a simple henge.

Staring at her newly blonde hair in the mirror, Sakura deftly twisted and pinned a few of the longer strands, leaving the shorter ones to frame her face. The simple technique appeared intricate and elaborate, giving the illusion that her hair was actually much longer than it was. As she ran a hand over one small braid, the green eyed woman tried to steel her nerves. The mission sounded like a seduction one. A fearful look stole over features. Those kinds of situations were not her strong suit.

The pinkette simply breathed deeply, cocking her hip slightly and giving her reflection her best sultry stare. She could almost hear Ino cackling in her head. Relaxing her features from her pinched, pursed expression, she just started for the door and hoped that Maito-sama liked the 'terrified out of her mind' look. A low growl grumbled from her throat as she scooped up the strappy shoes the red head had left for her, tugging desperately at the ultra short hem of her kimono as she slipped from the master suite.

She spent the majority of the walk to the Maito Villa barefoot, childishly enjoying the cool splashes of water on her soles and calves as she paced through puddles. Her nervousness had lightened considerably as she observed the fireflies dancing in the gardens, just outside the warm light of the scattered lanterns that lined the winding cobblestone path. When the looming structure that was her destination for the evening finally rose above her, Sakura felt her stomach drop.

A shiver of apprehension skated down her spine as she let the sandals in her hand fall to the stones at her feet. Slipping quickly into them and lacing them deftly, the false blonde stepped boldly forward. After knocking confidently on the door, the kunoichi drew a fan, fluttering it in front of her face in an attempt to calm her nerves. Her heart jumped to her throat, forming a stony lump there as a deep groan was heard.

The heavy doors before her parted slowly and a maid appeared in the revealed space. A condescending look tinted the servant's otherwise neutral face as she took note of the small woman's attire. Playing her part, Sakura flicked her paper fan shut with a flashy swish of her wrist and smiled widely. "I'm here for Maito-sama."

Expression souring further, the maid said simply, "Of course. Right this way." The temperamental green eyed female fought the urge to set the arrogant attendant straight as she followed her into the villa, exaggeratedly swaying her hips. She was lead promptly to a candlelit dining hall. As the thick shouji slid closed after her guide, Sakura dropped her confident exterior. Drawing her fan once more, she flapped it like mad, attempting to fend off the lightheartedness that was threatening to overtake her.

A rattle sounded out as the door to the hall was opened once more. The kunoichi abruptly slowed the pace of her fanning, glancing coyly to the man entering. Long, dark hair was caught securely at the base of the man's neck and eyes a deeper green than her own pinned her instantly. As her eyes traced a jagged, oddly healed battle scar that ran from his eye to the left curve of his jaw, Sakura mentally noted that she'd found her mark. Ken Maito had joined her.

* * *

The distinct clatter of shattering pottery was clearly audible as Kakashi appeared at the entrance to Tsunade's office. A single slate grey eye narrowed slightly as he threw open the door and strode in uninvited. The bleary toffee eyes that met him weren't surprising. The Godime was drunk. And angry.

"About godsdamned time, Hatake!" The blond railed as soon as she recognized him. Lifting a sake jug to her lips, the lady kunoichi quickly drained the remains of the container, tossing it carelessly over her shoulder when it was empty. It quickly joined the considerable pile of shards beneath the liquor stained wall to the Hokage's right.

Raising a single silvery brow, the wizened Jounin said, "I got here as quickly as possible."

Tsunade just giggled drunkenly, allowing her forehead to drop to her palm as she shook her head. "Of course you did! So little time! So little...time." She leaned back in her chair, considering Kakashi for a moment before starting, "You remember the preposal Sakura made to the Elders six months ago, right?"

The elite ninja slowly nodded. His female pupil had argued viciously for increased funding for the hospital of Konoha. She wanted to dip into the reserves that were generally set aside for frivolous vacations, festivals and bonuses for the aristocrats and diplomats. His student hadn't minced words when she brought the issue to light, and she certainly hadn't made any friends.

The legendary medic rubbed her eyes. "Well she stepped on quite a few toes. Ones that belonged to vindictive, passive aggressive people." She locked eyes with her protege's first teacher and surmised, "They have the power to ruin her life. And they want to exercise it." The Copy Ninja froze. "When word of the Uchiha heir's involvement made it to their ears, they immediately moved for her to be declared a Missing Nin." Tugging hard at her own bangs, the Sannin detailed, "The worst part is they have the legal grounds. They cited her history with Sasuke...dug up personal quotes from her that said she'd 'do anything for him'..." She trailed off for a moment then began again, "The only way I can overrule their order is to have a non-biased party testify that she is indeed being held against her will by Team Hebi."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "An ANBU, I assume?" At the leader's nod, he ventured, "I need to lead them back to my team and let them observe Sakura." He sighed deeply when she nodded again. "If I know my students, and I do...It's not going to look convincing, even if it is the case."

Tsunade just snorted and took another sip of the drink in her hand. "No kidding." Looking earnestly to the silver haired man, she concluded, "But we don't have any choice."

Drawing himself up from his slouching posture momentarily, the shinobi agreed, "Fine. Where is the ANBU?" The blonde opened her tightly shut eyes, groping about for the button for her intercom. Once she found it, she sloppily pushed it and barked, "Shizune! Send him in!"

The only sound was that of the doors to the office creaking open as a tall, darkly clad man slipped into the room. Shooting the man a squinty eyed smile, Kakashi grinned, "I hope you don't mind travelling quickly, ANBU-san!"

The man didn't get the opportunity to answer as the elite Jounin swept past him, chakra leaping from the open windows behind the Hokage, heading rapidly for the city gates. He had foolish students to fish out of trouble, after all.

* * *

Sasuke felt the solid wood under his heel cave slightly. His eyes were fixated on a spiky blonde head of hair at the dingy bar not five yards in front of him. Naruto had arrived. Glancing to the inky haired shinobi on the stool at the enthusiastic man's side, he noted that his replacement had tagged along as well. Teamwork. How touching.

He watched cagily as the pair clandestinely milked a foolish Chuunin for information about the resort his team was currently inhabiting. The replacement, Sai he recalled, managed to get a vague description of Suigetsu and a general idea of his role as a nobleman's son. A scowl twisted the Uchiha's features. They were getting too close for comfort. His dark eyes tracked the pair as they artfully stumbled from the barroom.

Patience rapidly thinning, Sasuke made himself wait at least five minutes at the cramped booth before he too made his way from the ramshackle establishment. As he jetted through the woodlands, en route to his villa, he decided he was going to have to push the time frame up. Karin needed to get the information tonight. Time was quickly running out.

Fifteen minutes later, Sasuke was pacing calmly into the living room of Hebi's condo. Juugo was standing at the refrigerator, stooped slightly, as if in the process of retrieving something while Suigetsu was sprawled messily over the couch. His footfalls were intentionally less light than usual, drawing both team member's attention. Two sets of eyes locked onto him for a moment before he intoned, "Where is Karin?"

The Mist shinobi righted himself quickly, answering, "Her room. I saw her go in a couple hours ago...haven't seen her come back out."

Sasuke was ready to make his way there when Juugo's additional observation stopped him cold. "Didn't she have an...erm, appointment with Maito-sama at ten o'clock?"

A dark look fell over the lightening wielder's face at Suigetsu's comment. "Might have been cancelled," he shrugged, "But where's Sakura? Niether of us have seen her since we got here."

Something shifted in Sasuke's chest. His eyes bled to red as he flash stepped to his suite. He spotted her usual attire, complete with her nin sandals stacked neatly on a chair from the doorway. He knew without checking further that she wasn't in the building. He couldn't _feel_ her. A low sound fell from him as he tore toward Karin's quarters, Juugo and Suigetsu close behind.

The paper screen that marked the entrance to her suite was sliced cleanly by a stoke of his kusanagi and ripped completely when his form burst through milliseconds later. Karin was sitting at her vanity, brushing her uneven locs when the males of Team Hebi arrived. She spun quickly, only to be caught up by the neck and pinned cruelly against the wall by a furious Sasuke. His voice was terrifying when he spoke. "Your jealous games have gone far enough. Where is she?"

Defiant, the tracker choked, "Jeal-ous...who?"

Sasuke just shook his head slowly and strengthened his grip. "You know exact-" He didn't finish his growling rebuttal. A detail on Karin's vanity stopped him flat. A short, blonde wig sat innocently on a mannequin head.

Suigetsu followed his team leader's line of vision. The pieces slowly fell into place in his mind as he yelled, "You sent her on the mission!? You BITCH!"

The berserker spoke, "I only purchased one wig." The Mist shinobi snapped, "You told her to HENGE? MAITO WILL TEAR HER APART!"

Juugo watched silently, his curse flaring and spreading sickeningly over his strong features. He studied the fine tremble of the red eyed male's shoulders and the agitated tick in his jaw. At last, the Sharingnan wielder snarled, "Suigetsu. Take care of her."

He tossed Karin bodily toward the Mist shinobi. The sharp toothed man just smirked and cleanly side stepped the flying girl, allowing her to tumble harshly to the floor and slide headlong into her bedpost rather than catching her. He glared down at her crumpled form and said, "My pleasure."

Juugo flexed his hands impatiently as he waited for what Saskue would ask him to do. He didn't have to wait long. "Juugo, scour the woodlands from here to the last village south of here. You're looking for a camp of at least three. Don't engage. Find me." At the blonde's terse nod, the Uchiha disappeared in a flash.

As he raced for Maito Villa, Sasuke felt something black creeping into his veins. Not only had the tracker of his team endangered Sakura, she'd also interfered with his plan to kill Itachi. The girl would be lucky to see sunrise.

* * *

Sakura was reluctantly impressed by the man who seated himself opposite her. She'd seen her fair share of powerful, grace filled strides in her career as a kunoichi, but Ken Maito's was a sight to behold. The man had an imposing presence about him that rivaled Sasuke's. His dark hair trailed lazily behind him like a long, feline tail as he carefully settled on the cushion across the table.

He nodded courteously to her, pouring each of them drinks and asking, "Your name?"

Shit. She hadn't thought of that. Smiling widely and taking a gulp of the wine he'd served her, Sakura lied, "Yuuki."

He studied her face a moment before humming agreeably. The natural pinkette blanched. He looked like he was reading her chakra. That would make him a trained shinobi. A sinking feeling overtook her lower body. Karin had lead her straight into the proverbial lion's den. There was no way Maito would overlook her carefully honed, compacted chakra. Despite the startling realization, the kunochi maintained a cool facade.

Swirling the ruby red liquid in his glass, Ken slowly studied 'Yuuki' from her facial features to her comfortably seated body. His eyes lingered on her hardly covered, folded legs as he murmured, "The name doesn't suit you." Sakura nearly jumped at the blunt opinion. Before she could scrape up a reply, he added, "With eyes like yours, I think something more unique would be fitting."

Some of the tension ebbed from her shoulders as the green eyed female cooed, "Surely you don't think I would give you my true name...in my line of work." She fluttered her fan flirtatiously over the lower half of her face as she finished the statement. She stood and rounded the intimately set table when he beckoned for her. As soon as she was within arms length, he tugged her forcibly into his lap.

His breath streamed along the shell of her ear as he asked, "And what sort of work is that, Yuuki-chan?" His broad palm on her bare inner thigh made her jump and attempt to stand. Her attempts were fruitless as the much larger male held her firmly in place. The hand slid higher as he chuckled, "I've never known a whore to shy away from a man's touch." Tracing the tip of his nose along her temple, he breathed, "Now, who sent you, Kunoichi?"

Sakura decided to play dumb. Leaning boldly into his touch, letting his open palm slide further up her leg, disappearing under her short hem, she said shakily, "I'm new to the job. No one sent-AH!" Her fib ended in a squeal as she was propped onto the lip of the table and her assailant shifted to press between her spread legs. He toyed with a wisp of her hair and he pretended to pout.

"Don't insult me now. At least drop the henge." In an instant, a blade was pressing against the paper thin skin beneath her eye. "Maybe," he whispered as he leaned forward, "I'll let you walk away with that pretty face intact."

A breathless, "Kai" tumbled from her throat before she knew what she'd done. She could feel the large male laugh as her hair brightened to pink. Fisting one hand in the bright locks, he joked, "Definitely not a Yuuki." A chakra loaded knee to his groin caught him unawares.

He only had time to block slightly, receiving what was most likely a bone-deep bruise on his thigh. His howl of pain and anger was deafening in her ear. The slight pause gave her time to slip out from under the large man and skip backwards, toward the door. She didn't make it even half way.

Ken caught up to her, launching a series of punches that had her scrambling to keep up. As heavy blows riddled her forearms, the pinkette took a chance and landed a heavy kick on the man's right hip. She was unprepared for his strong backhand. The slap caught her face harshly, knocking her to the ground. She could feel her face swelling even as she impacted the floor. From a medical standpoint, she knew that was bad. Broken jaw bad.

Blood poured steadily from each corner of her mouth as she doggedly pushed herself up. Ken laughed haltingly from his position, leaning listingly with an arm braced on the table. "You're one hell of a girl." He strode toward her, "Maybe, once I kill your master...I'll keep you."

Sakura just hissed and jumped unsteadily to her feet. She fell into a strong defensive crouch and jeered, "You aren't half the shinobi he was when were were Genin."

Maito snarled angrily, lunging toward her when an electrical scream tore through the room. Both combatants froze as the wall behind Ken exploded inward to the tune of one thousand birds. Red eyes stared out from the smoke and rubble, bright blue arcs of electricity lighting the handsome face they shone from eerily. Sakura nearly sagged with relief.

Sasuke had arrived.

* * *

**END RED PART TWO.**

**XD WOO! Karin finally gets what's been coming to her. BIG fight scenes comin' up, as is the climax of the whole series. **

**The explination for 'Red' will be posted soon on my LJ page, if anyone's interested.**

**Chapter Eleven: Orange Part One should be up by Wednesday or Thursday!**

**As always, thanks for reading and please review! :3**


	11. Orange Part One

**Orange**

**Part One**

Golden eyes tracked Suigetsu as he prowled towards Karin's fallen form. The Mist shinobi had a distinctly murderous aura about him as he stalked to the red head's side, allowing his sandal to dig rudely into her side when he reached her. Juugo was quiet as the sharp toothed man casually hauled the dazed kunoichi up by her hair. She snapped to attention immediately, screaming and clutching her pained scalp. Angry, watering red eyes glared out at her teammate.

"OUCH! What the HELL, Suigetsu?" Karin clawed vainly at the strong grip on her mane. A surprisingly chilling laugh was her only answer. Her angry tone went sharp as the hand in her hair twisted viciously. A thin line of blood trailed down her forehead, catching on her eyebrow before trickling towards her jawline. The female's expression went dark as she screeched, "STOP!" Her open handed strike toward the center of Suigetsu's chest was intended to smash the heel of her palm into his solar plexus but only resorted in five broken fingers for the kunoichi. The Mist nukenin simply caught the hand and snapped the digits startlingly calmly, one by one, between his thumb and first finger.

The white haired shinobi just tilted his head, smiling maliciously at her pained shout. When she quieted to a sob, clutching her injured hand to her body, Suigetsu cooed, "I can do this all day, Karin. There are plenty of bones in your body and I know how to break _each and every one_." His voice dropped to a quiet hiss as he finished his statement, staring callously into the woman's tear stained visage. "That was a dirty trick to play on Sakura." He laughed lowly. "One I'm sure you'll live to regret."

A hysterical scream ripped from the tracker nin's throat at the Konoha kunoichi's name. Her eyes were deep garnet as she preformed a furious henge, casting herself into the image of the young medic. A hateful expression twisted the false pinkette's expression as she snarled, "Woud you say that to me if I looked like her?" Suigetsu growled in disgust, flicking the kunoichi in his grip into the nearest piece of furniture. Karin impacted her vanity with a huge amount of momentum, sending its mirror to the floor. The sound of shattering glass filled the suite and the disguised female nearly lost her footing on the suddenly hazardously strewn floor.

Once her stance was secure, Karin batted fake green eyes and tittered, "Sui-kun, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

Fury rose in both shinobi members of Hebi as they watched the kunoichi before them mock the kind Konoha medic. Juugo hoisted the impostor by her shirt, allowing her to dangle over the floor by more than two feet as he ordered, "Drop the henge!"

Karin glared through ruffled pink strands at the fist the beserker had pulled back, ready to strike. She watched, narrow-eyed, as curse marks spilled sickeningly over the large man's skin. Lilting her head to one side, she continued to impersonate Sakura, "Why are you so angry?" Widening her eyes dramatically, she acted terrified. Suigetsu howled behind his teammate, drawing a kunai and stepping up beside the raging Juugo. Cool steel found her jugular as the Mist shinobi said slowly, "Listen and do as we say or die slowly."

A sudden commotion outside on the patio made all three Hebi members freeze. With a swirl of long, blonde hair and a banshee wail, a Jounin kunoichi tore into the wrecked suite, ripping the door completely from its track. Baby blue eyes flashed as the female's hands formed rapid hand seals. A tall, dark haired shinobi in a similar flack jacket alighted behind her an instant later, tossing a cigarette to the side as he slowly drew a kunai. The blonde's voice was choked with anger as she yelled, "You picked the WRONG KUNOICHI TO BEAT ON, SHARK TEETH! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Her male counterpart just smirked, smoke billowing from the curled corner of his lips.

Suigetsu looked from the henged kunoichi in Juugo's grip to the pair of Leaf Jounin with an expression like dawning dread. Team Konoha had arrived, and things were getting increasingly out of hand.

* * *

Naruto slipped suddenly, narrowly avoiding plummeting to the forest floor. Gripping tightly onto the first branch that found his flailing hands, the blond shinobi swung himself back into rhythm, catching up quickly with Sai. Continuing to leap from tree to tree, the dark haired boy glanced sideways, smiling as he asked, "Is everything alright?"

Blue eyes were wide as saucers as they met those of his teammate. "No. I have this horrible feeling..." When the former ANBU member dropped his absent smile for a vaguely concerned look, Naruto clarified, "I don't know what it is...I just think we should get back to Shikamaru and Ino as fast as we can!"

Sai was left to stare after an orange blur as it lurched forward, sending branches backwards with recoil from the strength that the kyuubi vessel was kicking off with. Nimbly avoiding the whipping limbs, the dark eyed male increased his speed as well, trailing along behind the blonde.

Within fifteen minutes, the pair had reached Team Konoha's camp, finding the fire extinguished and the packs vanished. Another moment of search revealed the supplies to be stashed behind an illusion in the top boughs of a nearby tree. The shinobi agreed that it was likely that their leader and his Genin teammate had most likely moved toward the village to do a little surveillance on Hebi. Sai quickly tested the warmth of the ashes in the hearth and declared, "They're still warm. They couldn't have left too long ago."

Naruto nodded contemplatively. "Should we wait or follow?" Sai didn't get a chance to finish as the night sky flashed ominously. Both shinobi looked up, watching as raw lightening crackled and arced toward the ground near the resort in an enormous bolt. The screams of a chorus of birds rent the still of the darkness in the forest. Tan cheeks paled under red whiskers. A tone between awe and disbelief tumbled form the blond. "...no. It couldn't be...TEME!"

Sai was left again to hurriedly run after his teammate. This time they were headed for the villas and what looked like an eminent showdown with Team Hebi. Something like a ghost of worry skittered over his placid features. Emotion and not shinobi instincts were going to reign in a battle like the one on the horizon. As he shot off, pursuing the rapidly shrinking orange figure flying through the woods to the north. Team Seven was about to have another reunion.

* * *

Chunks of plaster, wood and stone rained down as Sakura jumped back, arms crossed over her head protectively. She heard the ring of blade on blade before the debris had completely settled. A shout was heard as metal clanged to the ground. Something like uninvited pride swelled in the pinkette's chest as she assumed that Maito had attempted foolishly to parry Sasuke's kusanagi.

Dropping her arms to her hem, she quickly freed the abbreviated scroll she'd brought along in case things went south. As she glanced toward the two shinobi, bathed in the flickering blue illumination of lightening, she decided that the situation warranted the weapon she was about to draw. She lifted a hand to her mouth, drawing blood on her thumb and quickly summoning the enormous axe she'd begun to favor.

As soon as the tip of the blade cleared its parchment casing, Sakura deftly freed the pink leather edge guard and coiled her muscles for a strong jump. Green eyes locked onto the two battling shinobi as she headed towards the fray. She had already pushed off and was nearing the apex of her leap when the doors behind her flew open and armed men stormed in. Twisting lithely, the kunoichi redirected her momentum. A moment later, she alighted a few yards before the personal army, hefting her mighty cleaver.

Swinging the humongous blade and smirking as the air it sliced through sang, the petite girl murmured, "Hello." Her rapidly swelling jaw twinged as she spoke. She tried to ignore the cool air blowing across her mostly exposed chest and the height the hem of her kimono had climbed to as she propped her weapon on her shoulder. The lecherous grins on the faces of the men only made her more determined. A particularly burly, ugly man stepped forward. "Look at the little harlot, she thinks she can take us."

Green eyes narrowed as the pinkette pumped chakra into her arms, making wielding her axe infinitely more manageable than looks would suggest. She decided that she'd level the man who'd spoken first. A single step forward and a flex of her shoulder sent a man nearly three times her size flying, a gaping wound weeping across his chest. The metallic spike at the uppermost point of her blade scraped chillingly as she let it drag on the stone in front of her dainty feet. Leaning lazily against it, she wanted to say something witty, but the throbbing in her jaw convinced her to just tilt an eyebrow expectantly instead.

The men didn't jeer further, but they didn't retreat. Groups of two and three began to charge her, making themselves easy to drive back or cripple with sweeping blows. Once perhaps ten or more of the obviously expendable rank of lackeys had been dealt with, a stronger group appeared. They were at least Chuunin rank and gave the kunoichi considerably more trouble. She had already dispatched two of the stronger ninja when one with double kodachi breached her defense and opened a long cut on her arm. Blood flowed from her left elbow almost to her clavicle.

A low curse burst from her as Sakura hurled her battleaxe at her attacker in an attempt to buy herself a little time. The whirling weapon caught one of the man's kodachi and sent him wheeling back, only just managing to keep his entire forearm intact. The pinkette didn't give herself time to feel proud, focusing instead on funnelling chakra towards her injuries. Necessity told her to repair her arm first and once it was mobile once more and the blood flow had stymied, she half healed her jaw as well. Conscious of her energy levels, the kunoichi only brought the swelling down and set the bones on the path to recovery. The bone was now simply fractured, rather than completely broken as it had been before.

The air around her shifted as the shinobi bounced back, ready to pounce once more. Green eyes hardened as she finally allowed herself to loose a battle cry, smashing a chakra loaded fist into the floor. The ground between she and the leaping ninja ruptured, surging up and flinging the assailant back. Retracting her hand and grimacing at the feel of the broken skin over her knuckles, Sakura agilely scaled the small hill she'd formed. The chuunin was out cold against the wall beyond.

Hopping nimbly back to the unbroken floor, the pinkette quickly collected her axe and made her way toward Sasuke.

* * *

Kakashi glanced to the sky, beginning to feel honest dread. Black, unnatural clouds had been forming over horizon for the fifteen minutes or so. What made him uneasy, though, was the distinctly clustered, coalescing pattern they were swirling into as they began to hang toward the ground. It looked like an extremely advanced lightening technique. Grey eyes shifted hue as he came to terms with himself. He'd only passed a lightening based jutsu on to one of his students.

The elite Jounin's speed accelerated even further, making him a mere blur amongst the leaves. A black, shadow like cowl flickered just as rapidly behind him. He was beginning to doubt that this second reunion between his students was going to be salvageable. Time tested steps kept him from faltering against the coarse bark as worry began to surface inside the Copy Ninja.

His foolish students had each grown so much in their own rights, he wasn't sure they were all going to be able to walk away from their little melee. Sasuke's utter power, Naruto's unbreakable will and Sakura's insurmountable desire to protect her precious people. The three were a volatile mix, and with their tempers, Kakashi didn't know what to expect. The wizened man didn't bother turning to check his team's camp. He knew it would be empty.

Instead he continued to sprint dead on towards the resort. He reached it soon enough, heading directly for the villa he knew Team Hebi had been inhabiting. The clanging of metal and sounds of a battle were audible from a distance. The silver haired man's expression revealed nothing as he called over his shoulder, "Try and stay with me, ANBU-san." Shooting the dark clad man a glance, he added, "I want to be sure that you see what you need to clear Miss Haruno's name."

The two lethal shinobi alighted silently at the destroyed rear entry to a suite. Kakashi caught a glimpse of Ino's long, blonde hair and heard Shikamaru's distinctive "Troublesome." He wasted no time in entering when he saw a flash of pink. The interior was utter chaos.

The Nara clansman had tossed furniture pieces into the walls, forming strategically placed shadows in the dimly lit room. The Yamanaka kunoichi was like a furious feline, twisting this way and that, carving out punishment on the two shinobi she and her partner were fighting. Kakashi nodded in response to Shikamaru's similar gesture and jumped into the fray. The Jounin had soon subdued a large, raging man with an extremely quick succession of pressure point jabs.

The huge frame of the berserker fell in something like slow motion, making the floor quake upon impact. Dropping back to join a panting Ino on the back wall, near where he had entered, the elite shinobi watched Shikamaru work. Keeping his eyes glued to the shadow user, he asked the blonde at his side, "Why did you engage?" His voice wasn't necessarily angry but he certainly wasn't happy.

Ino wasn't abashed in the least. "They were beating Sakura." Her voice was closer to a growl than Kakashi would have thought possible for the slender kunoichi.

The grey eyed man nodded, observing coolly as the dark haired genius finally caught the final Hebi member in a clever trap. He heard the genjustu specialist at his side gasp in terror as the Mist nukenin lashed out violently, not escaping the restraint but managing to wound Shikamaru heavily. Ino rushed forward, supporting the still concentrated shinobi as his nearly compromised knee gave out beneath his weight. Shikamaru braced heavily against her slim shoulder as he manipulated the nukenin into dropping the enormous blade he was wielding.

Glancing to the injury on the Team Captain's leg, Kakashi deemed that it wasn't fatal, just crippling until he found a decent medic. If memory served, Ino a proficient healer, perhaps third in the Village behind Tsunade and Sakura. The silver haired shinobi decided that the pair had things here under control. He stepped forward, addressing the kunoichi holding up her team leader. "Where did Sakura-chan go?"

Baby blue eyes met his as she replied, nodding toward a door that seemed to lead to a hallway. "She ducked out once the other two started fighting us. There. She took a right I think." Solemnly, Ino concluded, "She was bleeding, I don't know how badly."

Kakashi didn't wait long enough to respond to that last, melencholy comment. Instead he flashed to the door she'd indicated, hanging a tight right once he was through. He found himself faced with a large living space. Mission honed eyes latched onto a rusty trail that stained the pale surface of the wood flooring. He followed the path quickly, the ANBU close at his heels. The blood lead to a door at the end of a short hall on the opposite side of the large room. Grey eyes narrowed as he stepped soundlessly into the suite he found there.

A figure was bathed in pale candle light at her left and moonlight to her right. A kunai shone metallic white under the light pouring in from the window where it was clutched in the kunoichi's right hand while a red forehead protector dangled from the other. Fire danced over the shiny surface of the metal plate, shadows pooling in the swirl symbol etched into its dead center. Konoha. Hidden Village of the Leaves.

The arms of the figure began to move, hoisting the blade before jerking suddenly down. Pink hair was caught between blue and red illumination as the arm swung low, aimed for the Leaf symbol. Kakashi felt his gut twist as a metallic ring rent the air.

* * *

Lightening didn't feel anything like electricity in Sasuke's palm. It was more like a superheated glove, slipping over his hand, leaving phantom burns as it crackled over his skin. His precise control kept it from truly harming his flesh, but there was a wall in his mind that he couldn't quiet surmount. It told him that the act of holding pure power in his hand should be painful and so it was. Distantly he knew that it would most likely be simple for a shinobi like him to break the psychological trigger responsible. A masochistic tendency he refused to acknowledge made him refrain.

Rather he smirked as the familiar heat crawled over his forearm. The man before him fairly quaked with fear. He'd already lost what the Uchiha assumed was his favored blade early on to a foolish parry and things had only been a game of cat and mouse from there. Disgust filled Sasuke. He had wasted time here in Rain Country. The only thing that had originally deterred him from taking the blade he wanted by force was the attention this whole mess was sure to attract.

He'd half hoped he'd be able to attain the sword and use it as a surprise tactic against his brother. Sharignan blades began to spin dangerously as he drew back the ultimately honed blade he was wielding. In a low tone, he asked, "Where is the weapon?"

The man's eyes, glassy from their wide state, managed to open further. "G-gone." He stumbled back at the look that overcame the shinobi's expression at the revelation. Quickly, he contributed, "You took it!"

"What?"

Ken hadn't known that a single syllable could be so fear inducing. He scrambled to explain, "The-the man who surv-vived the vault raid said he saw r-red eyes! Like yours!" Throwing his arms up, he pleaded, "You have what you want, spare me!"

Sasuke felt raw fury spill through his form. Itachi had outmatched him once again. A screech of electrical energy was heard and Ken Maito fell lifelessly to the floor of his palace. Silence reigned until a rustle of silk interrupted the avenger's dark thoughts.

Black eyes detached from the floor, finding small feet encased in excessively lacy sandals. He followed the line of the kunoichi's legs for much longer than he felt was acceptable before arriving at the slightly stained hem of a cropped kimono. The pearly, green fabric hardly concealed anything from his gaze. Rather than truly covering Sakura's form, it seemed instead to cling and emphasize all that it covered. Pale rises of flesh were framed by the vee at the neck of the garment and most of her shoulders were equally revealed. Black met emerald and Sasuke began to move.

Sakura blinked, tucking a lock of tossled pink hair behind her ear. She fidgeted nervously under her team leader's heavy gaze. By the time she'd finally staved off the reinforcements at the doors and collected her weapon, Sasuke had defeated the damiyo. His form had fallen almost as she alighted behind the clearly seething Uchiha. She'd actually been ready to back away and retreat to the villa for a time when he had turned.

He had spun, following her body from her toes to her bewildered gaze. She was about to speak when he blurred out of sight. The sensation of warm, soft cloth settling around her shoulders made her start. Raising green eyes from the dark fabric of the shirt he'd pulled over her, Sakura met Sasuke's gaze. A spiced, masculine scent floated to her nose as her head shifted. The top was designed to be sleevless, but on Sakura's small frame, the garment fell to the crooks of her arms. The brush of its hem against her bare knees was distracting. When she refocused, she wasn't sure what to call the emotion lurking in his bottomless eyes.

Sasuke lifted the shirt from his shoulders fluidly as he flash stepped up to the petite, barely clad female. His dark garment was mostly situated over her form when she registered what had taken place. He paused for a moment when she looked up to meet his gaze. The paralyzation only lasted a moment before he finished dropping the shirt onto her. Scowling slightly as his hand brushed a rusty stain under her chin, the dark shinobi noticed the blood that had dried there as it flaked at his touch. Tipping her chin to inspect the patch, he was about to pose a question when a distinctive bellow sounded out behind the pair.

"TEME!"

* * *

**End Orange Part One**

**Woo! BIG FIGHT SCENE NEXT TIME! Team Seven Reunion, too. XD I'm excited! **

**  
The explanation for the 'color' will be posted on the LJ page after the next chapter is posted. Keep checking it for sneak peeks, though! :3 **

**Orange Part Two will be out by Saturday evening at the latest. **

**As always, thanks for reading and please review! **


	12. Orange Part Two

**Orange**

**Part Two**

Staring into utterly hateful, merciless grey eyes, Karin knew her luck had run out. The strong hand twined uncompromisingly in her uneven mane was making her scalp throb. Her hand was completely compromised, the metatarsal bones shattered. She wasn't sure she could heal them if she got the chance. A quick glance to Juugo revealed nothing but an even, unforgiving stare. The red head let her eyes roll back and was ready to give herself over to what was sure to be a thorough beating when a familiar sensation tickled the edges of her subconscious. Chakra.

Concentrating as well as she physically could with the pain of her pulled hair weighing on her mind, Karin tried to analyze the signatures. They were still a considerable distance away. One was very dark and controlled, precise. The other was very wispy and pale, much like a breezy cloud. Both were concentrated and trained, unlike the unrefined auras of civilians. Two shinobi were moving toward the villa, their auras expanding and contracting as they travelled. Judging from the compact, nearly concealed feel of both patterns, the red head assumed that they were most likely Jounin rank.

The kunoichi thought quickly, wondering what a pair of ninja were doing observing their team's villa. If they were Hunter nin they would have moved in long ago and most certainly wouldn't be working in pairs. The feel of the patterns weren't correct, either. All of the Hunter nin she'd encountered had exuded a sort of clinical coldness that wasn't present in the two moving toward her. The chakra seemed more whole and...Red eyes went wide. They were after Sakura! Leaf ninja!

Suigetsu's voice broke into her thoughts. "...dirty trick to play on Sakura. One I'm sure you'll live to regret."

Karin had to fight the smirk that threatened to surface. Regret? Oh, she wasn't going to be the one regretting her actions. Thinking of the hated pinkette, she convincingly screeched and hissed, "Would you say that to me if I looked like her?" A henge later, her hair was rosey and her eyes green. She could tell that the signatures were drawing closer, but only just in earshot. She was surprised when the Mist shinobi tossed her into the mirror at her back, but decided she could use it to her advantage.

Landing so that her slight height difference wasn't noticeable, Karin angled herself so that as much of her distinct mane was visible through the open backdoor as possible. She was ready to give the performance of her life. Green eyes widened as she simpered, "Sui-kun, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" She watched with distinct amusement as both males became furious, Juugo stepping up to grab her by the collar.

As her feet left the glass covered floor, she felt the two signatures arrive outside. Suigetsu's snarled command for her to drop her illusion was too low for the pair to hear, but her frantic call was not. "Why are you so angry?"

When cool steel found her neck, Karin finally allowed herself to smile. The shinobi had played right into her hands with his death threat. Both of the men's expressions flashed to puzzlement at her suddenly happy persona. A loud battle cry and the crash of the Leaf ninjas' entrance was almost instantaneous. Juugo's face faltered to anger while Suigetsu's displayed disbelief.

A high, enraged female voice carried all throughout the suite. "You picked the WRONG KUNOICHI TO BEAT ON, SHARK TEETH. I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Karin watched, satisfied, as Juugo allowed his curse to spread over his features. At her left she could hear Suigetsu attempt to explain, "This isn't Sakura! I swear-" He was cut of viciously by a swiping kunai. The same kunoichi from before railed, "How DARE you say her name!? You FISHY BASTARD!"

The berserker holding her captive was forced to drop her as the darker, male presence she'd felt moved into the fight. As soon as her feet hit the floor, Karin started running. She heard the female call the medic's name, but didn't pause. The tracker nin knew this was her one and only shot. She had to get far away from Hebi and the Konoha ninja as soon as possible. Karin felt the skin at her knee break as she tripped trying to slink, half crouched into the hall. Gasping in pain, she hobbled out the door, leaving it partially open in her haste. She did her best to heal her hand until it was at least functional as she dragged herself toward the nearest exit.

Her uneven steps lead her thoughtlessly to the master suite. When her henged eyes finally refocused, Karin found herself staring at the neatly made bed of Sasuke's quarters. There was a back door here that led almost directly to the forest beyond. She was ready to make a break for it, her fingers skimming the frame of the sliding door, when she realized that she probably would never see Sasuke again. Biting her lip, she made another quick decision. She wanted to take something to remember him by.

As she glanced around, she noticed a hint of the dark shinobi's static chakra. It crackled ominously around the seam of one of the drawers in a vanity on the wall opposite the large mattress. Karin narrowed her eyes. An illusion. The only reason she'd even noticed was because of her nearly obsessive awareness of his chakra pattern.

Walking slowly, mindful of her injured knee, the henged kunoichi approached the furniture, sliding out the storage space and dispelling the illusion with a breathy word. Assorted items blinked into sight in the once empty drawer. A ring of keys, a small stack of very worn photographs, a patch of fabric and two forehead protectors. With shaking fingers, the Sound nukenin lit a nearby candle and began to rifle through the memorabilia.

Instinct itched inside her mind, distracting her as she started to lift the face down collection of pictures from their resting place. The sounds of fighting had lessened. Henged eyes narrowed. She didn't particularly want either party to come looking for her. With a renewed sense of urgency, she dropped the photos and grabbed the pair of forhead protectors, holding them up to the candle's illumination.

False green eyes dilated in surprise. One was the blue, crossed symbol she knew belonged to Sasuke and the other was red and unscathed. A lunatic grin spread over the kunoichi's lips. It belonged to Sakura. The Uchiha was hiding it for safekeeping. Her features twisted heinously. How sweet. Drawing a kunai, Karin raised her arm and sealed her rival's fate with a deft swing.

* * *

Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing. His teammates were standing in the rubble of a palace, Sakura's chin being lifted by Sasuke. A shirtless Sasuke. His heart dropped to his toes. What was happening? His head spun like the whirlwind attack that was his signature move. He felt the loose rubble grind beneath his sandals as he slowed to stop, his voice tearing from his throat. "TEME!"

Instantly, the dark haired shinobi he'd called turned, their kunoichi teammate disappearing behind his broad back. Black eyes swirled red as he smirked, "Dobe."

The blonde's face tightened in fury as he yelled, "YOU BASTARD!" Charging forward, kunai in hand, Naruto was upon Sasuke in an a flash. A low chuckle and a flash of steel later, the shorter man was repelled. Blue eyes darkened at the blase air his former teammate exuded. Coiling his muscles again, Naruto readied himself for another run, screaming, "GIVE SAKURA BACK!"

Something flickered over the taller shinobi's expression as he moved offensively at last. One swipe with godlike speed and the louder of the two was sent reeling once more, blood flowing from a short but deep wound on his bicep. "Naruto-kun!"

Both combatants froze at the pinkette's voice. The kyuubi vessel could just see her bright gaze at Sasuke's side, and he smiled at last in relief. "Sakura-chan! You're okay! We were all so worried!"

The petite kunoichi beamed a smile as she started to approach the blonde, her hand slowly dropping from Sasuke's back as she called in return, "I'm fine! I-" She was halted abruptly by a bare arm across her middle and a low voice. "Sakura."

Green eyes turned upward, finding a stony profile as he continued, "Stay back." The forearm barring her pressed her backward, steering her away from the still glaring pair. Anger boiled up in her chest, "NO!" Shoving the impeding limb downward, Sakura started to move toward Naruto when a curse fell from Sasuke's lips and she found herself shoved bodily backward.

Sai had taken advantage of the distraction to move in, gaining a half secured grip on the kusanagi the Uchiha was wielding. Smiling, the former ROOT member glanced beyond his opponent toward Sakura and said, "Hello, Ugly."

Numb to the insult, the kunoichi just laughed a little at the circumstance and murmured a greeting in return. Sasuke snarled and brought his other hand up once he'd tossed Sakura back, breaking the shaky grip. Squeezing his replacement's wrist, he smirked at the feel of the bones cracking before flinging the shinobi toward Naruto. Sakura shouted as she watched Sai tumble through the air, hitting a still standing section of wall and sliding bonelessly to the floor.

The green eyed girl was dumbfounded when the shinobi didn't rise. She had seen him take worse hits than...Her thoughts were interrupted when Naruto charged again, declaring, "GIVE HER UP, TEME! SHE BELONGS IN KONOHA!"

Sakura turned to watch as Sasuke disappeared in a blur, reappearing at Naruto's back. His kusanagi drew level with the blonde's neck as he muttered quietly, so only his friend could hear, "Let's let her decide, hm?" The shorter shinobi laughed outright, using a forearm guard to knock the blade away and throwing his other elbow back, toward his assailant's body.

Sasuke danced back, holding his kusanagi clear as he blocked Naruto's kicks and punches one handed. The blonde asked spitefully, "Do you really think she'll still choose you?" Bloody red eyes tightened to slits as electricity screamed once again. Lightening flashed, back lighting the Uchiha's face as he growled, "Hn." The shorter male smirked broadly, planting a foot on the nukenin's forearm and propelling himself into a neat back flip.

As he alighted on the debris riddled floor, Naruto dropped into a ready stance and called, "You aren't sure, are you?" A metallic scrape sounded as Sasuke discarded his blade, catching the blonde's barrage of punches, knees and kicks openhanded. Arching a heavy fist toward the loudmouth's ribcage, Sasuke hissed, "_Shut up_, Dobe." The kyuubi vessel laughed, displaying sharpened canines only to wince as the punch found his side.

Coughing up a bit of blood, Naruto whipped his body into a roundhouse kick that cracked the femur of the dark haired man's left leg. Electricity screamed as blue light forked toward blonde's whiskered cheek. The acrid scent of burning hair filled the air as the Chidori caught the tip of one of Naruto's spikes. Determined to shake Sasuke's calm facade, the shorter shinobi railed, "Ask her! She WANTS to come HOME!"

Red eyes glowed eerily against the electic light he was wielding as the Uchiha bellowed wordlessly, lurching toward the still gloating Naruto. The blonde was not quick enough to avoid the entire strike, catching the supercharged fist on the outside of his torso. Pain blinded him until the lightening crept into the jagged gash left behind, numbing as it destroyed. Blue eyes went wide as he flipped back uncontrollably, like a broken doll.

A feminine scream tore through the tense air and soft, wiry arms caught Naruto suddenly, in mid flight. Knocked roughly to the uneven floor by the kyuubi container's momentum, Sakura curled as much as she could around Naruto's larger frame in an attempt to protect him from further harm. The entwined pair smacked into the rise the pinkette had formed earlier with a sickening crash. The pinkette gasped in pain as a sharp piece of rock punctured her back and her head slammed back, making her vision flicker for a moment.

From her lap, Naruto groaned fearfully, "Sakura-chan? Are you...alright?" Groggily, she hummed an affirmative. A flicker appeared near her extended legs as Sasuke blinked into existence there, recovered kusanagi pointed ominously toward the blonde. Green eyes darkened to something near black. Carefully shifting her teammate to the ground and standing, Sakura threw her arms wide. "STOP!"

Not taking his eyes from his prey, Sasuke just rumbled, "Move." He almost missed the slight shift of her posture that foreshadowed her imminent kick. Darkly lined eyes rounding minutely, the Uchiha batted the charged blow away. Ignoring the resulting ache in his forearm, the dark shinobi glared at his petite medic. "Sakura."

His only response was a bone jarring series of punches. Uppercut, left hook, jab, right hook, knee. Sasuke disregarded opportunities to strike back, simply defending himself after sheathing his blade. That movement alone had cost him a heavy roundhouse to the right hip. Twisting his body lithely and maintaining a strong center of balance, Sasuke easily kept the damage dealt to him by the raging kunoichi to a minimum.

Finally taking an opening in her barrage, the shinobi knocked the pinkette backwards and gave himself room to prepare for her next attack. He was a little surprised by the soreness in his arms as livid bruises were forming where he'd blocked repeatedly. Shaking his limbs subtly, he watched guardedly as Sakura grabbed her battle axe. Red eyes watched his black shirt rode up her thighs as she hefted the enormous blade.

Locking his gaze onto her tear stained visage, he listened as she choked out, "I'll protect my precious people to my dying breath, Sasuke." Green chakra began to light her palms as she shouted, "Even if it's from each other!" At that statement, the girl launched herself forward, swiping the blade down as she approached. The axe found the floor at his feet, shattering it on impact and sending him backward.

Flipping expertly to land on his feet, Sasuke ignored the pain from the fractured bone on his left side and huge bruise on his right hip. He simply grit his teeth and prepared himself for Sakura to appear over the mound she'd created. He was not expecting a giant, animated lion. So, when it roared over the man made hill, the shinobi was caught a little off guard but still manage to draw a cluster of shuriken in time to dispel the beast.

Three similar creatures crested the rise and Sasuke decided to use a little quicker method. Swiping blood over the seal on his arm, the dark haired man drew a windmill blade. He wound his wrist rapidly, bringing the weapon up to speed and releasing it. Just as he felt the cold metal leave his hand a figure appeared on the hill. A flash of pink made his insides clench. Sakura was standing in the path of his blade.

* * *

The lazy days he and his team had spent doing pointless, D Rank missions were fond memories for Kakashi. They were a bright spot in his dark, sad existence. The blonde, loudmouth nobody with more vision and willpower than anyone he'd ever met; the dark, brooding young heir whose young eyes were jaded too soon and a pink haired little girl with a cheery smile and punches that could powderize stone. He sometimes thought to himself that they were like the children he'd never have.

But as he watched the kunoichi he'd trained from a simpering child to a capable young woman raise a kunai in the stark lighting in Rain Country, ready to mark herself a betrayer, the Copy Ninja felt a bone deep certainty settle in his body. The girl before him was not Sakura Haruno. Even so, he was frozen, shocked as the clink of metal on metal filled the air. Grey eyes watched the accessory fall in something like slow motion to the floor. He was upon the female before it made contact.

A flash step forward and the impostor was knocked to the floor, flat on her back. Settling his foot on her throat, the wizened man asked slowly, "Who are you?" A gurgle was heard in return. Pressing a little harder, Kakashi repeated the question. Rather than verbally answering, the kunoichi dropped her henge. Red hair replaced pink and green eyes flashed to red. A picture he'd seen in Sasuke's file surfaced in the elite Jounin's mind. "You're the tracker from Team Hebi, huh?"

Her chin knocked against his foot as she nodded weakly. Releasing a bit of the pressure from his captive, Kakashi turned to address his ANBU companion. His sole visible eye went wide. The man knocked back his cowl to reveal his face. It was Yuhei Fugi, a staunch supporter of the Council. His gaunt features warped into a smile as he hefted the crossed out forehead protector in his hand.

His creaky, dry voice quipped, "My, my, Kakashi-san...Lost another student, have you?"

Before he could act, Yuhei disappeared. A vicious curse fell from Kakashi's lips. Thinking quickly, the Jounin deftly kicked the kunoichi at his feet's temple, knocking her out cold. That finished, he shoved his hands into his messy hair. What had Tsunade mentioned about a non-biased party? Throwing his hands back to his sides, the elite shinobi calmed himself and began to move. He stopped off first to the suite he'd entered.

When he reached Ino and Shikamaru, he ordered, "Take those two," he gestured toward the fallen shinobi of Hebi, "prisoner. There's a female in the master suite. Bind her as well." The pair nodded and the blond ventured, "Is Sakura-?"

Without returning her gaze, Kakashi interrupted, "That was not her." He ignored her gasp as he addressed Shikamaru, "Take them to Konoha and tell _only_ Tsunade who they are. Do you understand?"

At Shikamaru's agreement, he flickered out of sight once more. Reappearing on the roof of the ransacked villa, Kakashi turned toward the west. Tell tale lightening flashed down, the silver haired man began to move. He arrived at the demolished palace to a sight that nearly stopped his heart. Sakura was hopping to the top of a mound he could tell she'd created, hefting the axe she loved and looking like an avenging deity. Sai was standing a bit behind her on the incline and painting madly, creating as many battle beasts as he could conjure. And his lost student, the one who reminded him so much of himself, was slinging a fuuma shuriken upward, toward the shinobi who'd created the ink monsters that stained the ground at his feet. He didn't see Sakura climbing the opposite side.

Dread filled the Jounin even as he forced his body into a sprint, full tilt. He knew he was too late.

* * *

Sakura gave Sai a nervous smile as she coiled chakra into her thigh muscles and launched herself upward. The plan they'd quickly concocted would hopefully be enough to distract Sasuke long enough to get Naruto safely away. The blonde was lying a ways behind her, loosing blood fast to the wide gash at his side. Medically, Sakura knew it was repairable, but watching one of her precious people bleed out massively was something she didn't want to see. Setting her features, the pinkette hefted her battle axe and alighted atop the hill.

A shadow in front of her made her start. Whistling violently through the air before her was a fuuma shuriken. Sasuke's almost frantic voice called out, "Sakura." Deeply ingrained instinct made her flip the blade in her hand, bracing its flat side against her middle as the windmill weapon made contact. Two of the four blades dug into the axe, crippling themselves in a scream of twisting metal. The remaining two, however, bit into her side and back, opening a long line from her floating ribs all the way to her shoulder blade on the other side as the spinning motion carried the ball of sharp edges forward.

Her mouth fell open in a wordless scream as pain exploded behind her eyes. The heavy axe in her hands clattered to the broken hill at her feet as her knees went weak. Green eyes slid closed as she prepared herself for impact as she felt her body pitch helplessly. Cool, bare skin met her cheek instead. Hot breath ghosted over her hair as Sasuke caught her falling form. With her ear braced against his chest, she could hear the violent explitive where it began as his hand brushed the huge injury on her back.

Dark eyes stared down at the red liquid flooding his hand with mounting fear. She couldn't stand to loose so much blood. Glancing down to the puddle at their feet, he distantly realized that he didn't think someone so small had so much. Shifting his arms carefully, he ordered, "Heal yourself." He felt her shake her head against his chest and squinted against the rising urge to engage his Sharingnan. Slowly, she gasped, "N...n-no chakra."

Curling his arms more securely around her small body, Sasuke lifted her, avoiding her injuries as he balanced her against his bare chest. Something black sank into his mind as he felt her blood trickle down his torso and her consciousness faded. As her frame went limp, a nearly hysterical need to stop the flow from her petite body drudged up a memory behind his swirling eyes. He copied her jutsu. The first day he'd found her, when she healed her face. He could save her.

Sasuke flexed his fingers, summoning his malicious chakra to his fingertips. A footfall made him spin. The dark eyed shinobi who'd replaced him in Team Seven had drawn a katana and was staring resolutely at the kunoichi in his grip. More hate than Sasuke remembered feeling toward anyone aside from Itachi roared to life in his chest. "Do not interfere."

A voice Sasuke hadn't heard in years cut in as a tall figure appeared behind the shinobi. "Sai. Go and collect Naruto." Grey eyes didn't stray from his pupil as Kakashi insisted, "Now."

Sai stepped back slowly, dropping his katana even more hesitantly. Sasuke's eyes were locked onto his first sensei's alone as the strange shinobi moved away. When they were alone, the Uchiha heir growled, "She-"

Kakashi didn't give his demand time to be voiced as he asserted, "Stays with you." At the nukenin's surprise, he clarified, "Konoha isn't safe for her now." The elite ninja's features were shadowed as he added, "Take care of her."

Sasuke knew he was referring to more than her current injuries and nodded. At his gesture, the Jounin backed slowly away, joining his remaining students at the broken wall behind him. As the Leaf Ninja disappeared from sight, Sasuke gathered chakra into his fingertips once more.

Settling Sakura face down onto the clearest patch of floor he could find and set about the hardest task he'd ever faced. Preserving a life.

* * *

**End Orange: Part Two.**

**Wow. Hope that lived up to your expectations. I tried my best! The next chapter will be up Tuesday night or Wednesday! :3**

**The explination for the color 'orange' will be posted on my LJ tonight.**

**  
As always, thank you for reading and please review.**


	13. Blue Violet

**Blue Violet**

Naruto hated the yellow, flickering strip lights of Konoha Hospital. His half focused blue eyes had met them one too many times after a mission gone awry. This time was no different. Off color light stabbed into his blue irises as disappointment and anger weighed his chest. Sakura. He'd lost her again. He felt his empty hand drop back to the rough sheets at his side as the thought registered in his mind. Waking suddenly, the blond had thrown his arm out, palm open toward the green gaze he could just feel at the edge of his dreaming thoughts.

Sasuke had beaten him again. He'd come in last place and this time he'd missed his opportunity to rescue his beloved teammate because of it. Tears stung the corners of his eyes. Her pretty gaze had been so dark with emotions and Sasuke...The Uchiha was acting so strangely toward her. Naruto felt wetness trickle onto his tan cheeks as he told himself he'd left the kunoichi to a situation he'd promised himself he'd protect her from. Her resolve was splintering in the nukenin's presence. Naruto knew it.

She was going to have her heart broken again and it would be on his shoulders. Salty tracks dripped from the high ridge of his cheekbones into the valleys of his cheeks, catching in his whisker markings and sliding to his jawline. Squeezing his lids closed against the hated yellow lighting, Naruto ground the heels of his hands into his teary eyes. The dull burning sensation helped him think.

A gusty sigh pushed itself from his body as he wiped his moistened hands roughly on his hospital top. The soft voice at his side wasn't expected. "N-naruto...-kun?" Flushing red with embarrassment, the shinobi sat up jerkily to face the girl who'd spoken.

Hinata gathered her soft hands in front of her lips as she stuttered out, "I-um...well, a-are you alright?"

Fidgeting his hands, trying to rid them of the residual tears and looking a little guilty for not noticing the Hyuuga heiress' presence, Naruto murmured, "Yeah. 'M fine...really."

Pale violet eyes studied the male's lowered gaze and vague tone, responding at length. "...I, well...I know it's not r-really my place, but...I-I'm really sorry you couldn't bring Sakura-chan back um, to Konoha." Breaking eye contact immediately, the kunoichi picked a bit frantically at the hem of her jacket. She was already regretting saying anything. Hinata pressed the back of one of her nervous hands against her burning face. She'd been too bold! A small sound escaped her as she hoped, worrying her lip, that the brave boy would forgive her if she apologized soon enough.

The Hyuuga kunoichi had just begun to speak when Naruto leaned abruptly toward her, pulling her hand away from her face. Cradling it between his larger palms, he didn't notice Hinata's utterly overwhelmed expression. He swiped at his still slightly wet eyes with the back of his hand, pulling hers along as he asked lowly, "Hinata-chan? Have...have you ever done your absolute _best_ at something..." The blonde trailed off, staring thoughtfully at the beam of sunshine pouring onto the foot of his bed before meeting her gaze with conviction. "Only to loose out anyway?"

Hinata was glad that he was asking what seemed like a rhetorical question. The purple eyed kunoichi only just clung onto consciousness as the shinobi absently traced the thin bones of her fingers, from nail to knuckle. She was studying his motions from behind a veil of blue black hair when his chuckle made her start. Smirking a bit ironically, he sighed, "Of course you haven't." Blue eyes met her half concealed ones as he laughed, "You probably accomplish whatever you set your heart on, huh Hina-chan?"

At the sound of her crush's abbreviated name for her, the heiress swooned. "Oh! U-uh..hmm. I-"

"Naruto." Both occupants of the small hospital room looked to the figure at the door. Sure of his student's attention, Kakashi pushed away from the jam and muttered, "We need to talk."

The dark haired kunoichi seated at the blond's bedside rose a little unsteadily, tugging her hand from Naruto's grip as she stood. Shuffling her sandaled feet, Hinata rushed, "W-well I hope y-you get better soon!" In a flash of blue black mane and a nervous breath, the girl was gone.

Grey eyes stared down the hall for a moment before swinging the door to the room firmly closed. The Jounin tucked his hands into his pockets as he sauntered toward the reclined shinobi's side. Kakashi leaned against, but did not sit in the chair Hinata had occupied only minutes before. Levelly, he asked, "Feeling alright?"

The blue eyed male just rubbed a still flushed cheek and replied breezily, "Could be better."

Nodding, the Copy Ninja turned his face toward the noonday sun just visible from his vantage point. "I had to do it, Naruto. Please understand that." Hands fisting in the linens at his hips, the younger shinobi didn't speak. His jaw just set into firm lines as his once red face paled under its tan. The jaded man sighed and slouched further. "It's not safe for her here now that-"

"That's a LIE!" Chest heaving with passion and fervor, Naruto ranted, "If...if Konoha isn't safe for a person like Sakura-chan...than what are we fighting for!?"

"Naruto..." Kakashi dragged his one eyed stare from the window and slowly to his injured student. "Being a ninja is not all about strength of muscle and skill with jutsu. Political games interfere sometimes-"

The blonde snarled, "Then let's take out the bastards who don't want her home!" Raising a fist, he yelled, "If I'd known it'd been that simple, I-"

He was stopped abruptly by a stern glare. In a reprimanding tone, the elite shinobi scolded, "Do you know what you're saying? _Murdering_ the council?" A set of short steps and he was hovering over the debilitated blonde. "Not everything can be a physical battle, Naruto. That is one lessen you have yet to learn."

* * *

Red eyes stared at red blood. Blue white lightening arced over stained, broad hands as a man on his knees stooped frozen over a prone figure. Sasuke reigned his chakra over his palms, melding it slowly into his fingers to each fingertip. The right one glowed a sinister color just a shade from black and he hesitated. His wide hand hovered over the deepest section of the gash on Sakura's back. Light played strangely over the dark blood pooled there.

His swirling irises slowed, melting slowly into a single centered circle as their surroundings darkened to a deep grey. The stolen technique he planned to implement echoed in his mind, crisp as any other he'd ever copied. Something made him apprehensive. Logic was pounding at the back of his thoughts, telling him that the pause was costing the kunoichi vital time. Sasuke didn't know what to label the feeling ebbing in his chest cavity. It was cold and numbing like shock but at the same time biting and molten like latent anger. The shinobi was conflicted.

As his dark gaze took in the bunched, ruined fabric of the shirt he'd draped over her defiant, vivacious body only a span of moments before, the sticky spots that clung to her skin made him sick. So much blood. Her blood. Sakura's blood. A sensation like a physical blow impacted his stomach. She could die. Sakura could loose her life from a wound he'd inflicted. Sasuke's nearly frantic eyes found a sight that made his black heart sieze.

The small, carefully stiched fan on the nape of the top was dyed eerily. Formerly bold red and white, the Uchiha symbol had been completely engulfed by her life's fluid. The prestigious mark in such a state made his throat tighten. His palms burned with energy as his instinct pressed him to preform Sakura's jutsu. Thin lips slashed into a firm line as his hands moved to the most severe section of the injury once more.

He was going to save her life. His avenger mindset was rioting, screaming that he owed the pinkette nothing. That his bonds were broken. For the first time since he'd arrived at Sound at thirteen, he defied his own logic. Broke his own chains. Sasuke was going to heal Sakura because he had to. Because he never should have thrown that fuuma shuriken. Because she would have been safe in Konoha, being happy, if not for him. Because it was impossible for him to consider his world free of pink, garish hair. The same hair that was slowly darkening to red with his indecisiveness.

Sasuke's hands were steady as they gravitated toward the gash at his medic's shoulder blade. His dark irises narrowed to thin, concentrated slits as the first of his strong chakra leapt from his tense fingers to her broken skin. Tendons stood in sharp relief where his hand met his wrist as the corded muscles trained to wield steel controlled a choice instead. For a moment, the shinobi didn't dare to breathe. At last, so gradually it was almost heart stopping, the tissues beneath his fingertips began to mend.

* * *

Shizune had never seen the female Sannin in such a state. The normally lustrous sheen of her blonde, flowing hair was dry and tangled. Honey eyes were darkly smudged with mussed liner and lack of sleep. Even Tsunade's nails were chipped and broken. The strong woman looked defeated. Her proud head was dropped carelessly onto her crossed arms atop her messy desk. Files and reports laid unfinished and unaddressed all around her, but the legendary medic had no desire to work.

Team Konoha had reported to the Tower only three days before, baring bad news. Sakura remained captured. Yuugi had arrived only hours before, requesting an appointment with the Council of Elders. Upon entering their chambers, he'd presented the single most damning evidence possible against the Haruno. Her slashed, red forehead protector. The girl's Sannin sensei had excused herself from the room at the sight.

The echoing curses and shattering of objects was audible through even the sturdy walls of the Hokage office. Shizune and the other workers in the Tower had left the lady kunoichi in peace for two days as a sort of grievance period. The paperwork on Shizune's desk, however, was not the kind that could be delayed. The younger medic stepped into her boss' office with the quiet nervousness of a mouse. But, even in her emotional condition, Tsunade noticed her presence immediately.

"What is it?"

Shizune winced a little at the frayed, scratchy tone of the Hokage's voice. "The...official addition to the Bingo Book was made today, Tsunade-sama." Heavily shadowed tofee eyes met her secretary's. "Let me see."

Once the stiff papers were within her grip, the blonde dismissed her assistant with a flick of her wrist. The sound of the door closing didn't register in the kunoichi's ears. She was far too focused on the picture staring back at her. 'Haruno Sakura' was emblazoned in thick font at the top of the document, along with various details on the girl, including birth date and estimated height and weight. Tsunade's eyes stung as she numbly read 'Village of Origin: Konoha.' She couldn't bring herself to check her student's lethality rating. Her brown eyes were locked instead onto the snapshot of the pinkette.

Bright green eyes shone up at her from a smiling face. It'd been cropped down so that only the kunoichi's head and shoulders were visible, though Tsunade knew she'd originally sported a 'thumbs up' gesture. The Sannin remembered the day it'd been taken. Her student had been forcibly dragged from the library by a bored to tears Ino, the blonde insisting that they were 'entitled to some fun.' The pair had spent the rest of the sunny summer day tanning and sparring at the training grounds. They'd eventually been joined by various members of Rookie Nine and even struck up a small tournament.

Tsunade had found her pupil sitting happily on a triumphant Naruto's shoulders an hour or so later. The blond shinobi had been cheering victoriously, his beaming teammate whooping along with him from her perch. She'd gone to the training fields with the intention to nag Sakura into returning to her work but had changed her mind at the sight. Instead, she'd settled at the edge of the commotion, calmly knocking Kakashi from his concealed position in a tree. The elder ninja had watched their protegees from the shade.

The picture staring up at her had been snapped by a giggling Ino with a disposable camera. Tsunade knew for a fact that a print was displayed lovingly in Naruto's apartment. Its original form was vertical, capturing both he and Sakura. Naruto's widely smiling face dominated the lower third of the frame, leaving the pinkette's form where it bent over her friend's bright spikes to occupy the remaining space. Both of the ninjas' grins were genuine and blissful.

The female Sannin was disgusted that the picture had been chosen. She knew that Naruto would be heartbroken. They'd chosen an image of her with a priceless memory attached and used it in her darkest hour. Tsunade felt bile rise in her throat as her long nails dug into her palms. Her innocent student had been framed and disfamed--made infamous in the Village she loved and lived for.

A frustrated scream ripped from the legendary kunoichi's throat as she overturned her desk, the paperwork atop it becoming airborne. In the rustle of falling materials and splintering wood, her sobbing was scarcely noticeable. Her wet face was cancelled by the long fall of her hair. Only the choppy heaving of her shoulders was a visible testament to her misery. Tsunade couldn't stand to think about Sakura anymore. It hurt too much.

* * *

Four hours. The youngest surviving Uchiha worked on his kunoichi teammate for over four hours--until the grievous wound on her back was reduced to a harsh welt. Sasuke didn't know how long he knelt, hand pressed over her spine and fingers half buried in her hair. His right hand had settled between her shoulders, high on her back after he'd finished the healing technique. The left had moved gradually from his side to graze the fan at her neck, eventually skimming the clumped tips of her pink locks. Her now rhythmic breathing was somehow sedating in its pattern. Eventually the hand half concealed by her stained mane slid to one side, finding a pulse beneath its slender fingers. The steady tempo calmed his rushing emotions until a sudden shift on her behalf broke his reverie.

Retracting his stiffened digits and flexing them, the elite ninja shifted his weight backwards until he was balanced on the balls of his feet. Sasuke estimated that he was below ten percent in terms of his remaining energy. His dark gaze slanted dangerously as he dropped his head back to consider the dawn smeared ceiling. The shinobi couldn't remember the last time he'd let it drop so low.

A lilting, female voice that he knew belonged to Sakura sounded from his memory. She'd said once that healing took a nearly equal, if not greater toll on its patient. The dark haired man calculated that the slim female before him would sleep for at least three days. Plans and information flew at light speed through Sasuke's brilliant mind. It took the young man three minutes and fifteen seconds to plan the pair's next two weeks. Once the immediate objectives were finalized, the shinobi gathered Sakura and rose.

He conserved chakra by simply sprinting toward Hebi's villa. Even without the boost his energy usually gave him, Sasuke was still inhumanely fast. His form was a skin toned blur as he flashed through the slowly awakening resort, arriving at his desired location quickly enough. The shinobi knew he was running low on time if he wanted to avoid a confrontation with local authorities.

Sakura was settled face down on the bed they'd shared as the agitated male began to move about the room. Two packs emerged from a closet near by, one black and the other light beige, and clothing was packed efficiently within each. Sasuke's lean frame locked up abruptly. A blue forehead protector was lying on the wooden floor at his feet. His eyes swivelled to the drawer he'd placed an illusion on the day they'd arrived. His chakra had been dispelled. He was standing, the drawer pulled out at his waist, only a second later.

The items withing were most assuredly _not_ how he'd left them. A small collection of keys was sprawled messily in the back of the area and the swath of cloth was bunched carelessly over his collection of photos. Scowling, Sasuke gathered the items and dropped them into a concealed pocket in his pack. He had turned to collect his headband from the floor when he realized what was missing. Sakura's forehead protector.

Dark eyes scanned carefully over the room, searching for any flash of metal or red fabric. He found none. A low oath fell from his lips. The scenarios in his mind reflected his reasoning for preserving the accessory in the first place. It could be detrimental to the kunochi's reputation if it fell into the wrong hands. Kakashi's words resonated in his head. Sakura wasn't safe in Konoha. Something stifling settled low in his stomach at his realization. He'd made the medic a nukenin.

* * *

The steady dragging sensation of the prison floor against her soft civilian shoes made Ino's already low spirits drop further. She and Shikamaru, along with Sai and Naruto, had been granted two months' paid leave from missions. The Jounin didn't know what to do with themselves. They each knew that the leave of absence was mandatory given their recently failed attempt to rescue Sakura, but it didn't make the inactivity any less maddening.

The last thing any of the ninja wanted to do was sit and rot in the Village. They'd each rather be blowing off steam on a heavy mission. Their emotional states were considered 'unstable,' though, and therefore unfit for the field. Ino herself had taken to making regular visits to the penitentiary, her heart set on cracking the female kunoichi captive. The red head female had been impassive so far, only displaying occasional outbursts of a temper the Yamanaka woman knew she could manipulate.

A faint smile touched her bowed lips at the thought of her 'forced interrogation' skills. Her knack for mental and emotional torture had been the butt of jokes on Sakura's part for years. The green eyed girl had declared that she'd known since their academy days that her blonde friend had a sadistic streak a mile wide. A laughing Sakura was so clear in her mind that Ino felt a strong sense of longing lodge in her chest. She missed her friend so much it was a nearly physical ache.

On her trip to the prison, Ino's periwinkle gaze had played cruel tricks on her. More than once, she'd convinced herself that she'd glimpsed the petite pinkette in the bustling streets. She'd been shopping for apples at the open air market, dropping by for a bite to eat at a lunch stand, window shopping at a shoe store and jogging absently down a little used alley. Each little mirage had made the blonde's heart leap hopefully only to twist sadly with the rationalization that the women couldn't be her best friend. Sakura was deep in some foregin land, labelled falsely as a traitor.

And, of course, every 'sighting' had been a false alarm. Each had been a girl with a reddish blonde or dyed mane. One had even simply been sporting a pink bandanna. Ino's eyes were just sore with the desire to see Sakura again. A cool draft that rose the hairs on her forearms broke the blonde from her melancholy thoughts. She had arrived at the cell that held the captive she wanted to speak to.

Setting her face into her cattiest, most impassive expression, Ino swung the heavy door wide. She stepped confidently inside after tucking her key into her pocket. "Oh Karin?" Buffing her nails against her mesh top and not yet raising her gaze, the genjutsu specialist cooed, "Ready for another little chat?" Baby blue eyes rose slowly at the prisoner's lack of response. Usually the female had at least a bitchy opening line before she tried for the silent game.

Ino felt as if freezing water had replaced the blood pumping through her body. The small, sparse cell was empty. A panicked but thorough search of the room yielded nothing. Karin was gone.

* * *

**Sorry I got a little behind! More of Sakura's reactions and an update on the shinobi of Team Hebi will be in the next installment!**

**The next chapter will be up Saturday evening.**

**As always, thanks for reading and please review!**


	14. Black Part One

**Black**

Water was dripping deafeningly into a pool in the corner of the cell. Suigetsu's grey eyes studied the almost exaggeratedly slow fall of the droplets with obsessive fascination. The Mist shinobi was silent, simply breathing and watching the water. His mind was obviously far from the small, dank cell. He wasn't seeing moldy, waterlogged walls and years of grime coating super reinforced bars. The captive nukenin was contemplating a fortress of a shinobi and his pink haired medic. He was wondering whether Sakura would be able to save the Uchiha heir from himself. Suigetsu didn't know how long he sat, thinking.

The Mist nin had been a captive for almost his entire life, in one form or another. First he was a no name prodigy swept into whirlwind politics and backroom alliances of Kiri. Then he was the kidnapped protegee who fell from Orochimaru's favor when his 'abilities plateaued.' So, when he was approached by Sasuke with the proposition of wandering with Team Hebi...the sharp toothed teen had agreed. The prospect of being free, at least in some respects, had a sweet, alluring ring.

He'd in many ways admired his team leader. At first because of his sheer presence and strength and later for his intelligence and ability. The dark man was the only one Suigetsu knew who could cull a raging Juugo with a simple look. It seemed physically impossible, but the former Leaf shinobi had done it. Months of travelling made him wonder at the strange assortment of ninja Sasuke had chosen for his team. Karin's tracking and Juugo's sheer strength weren't especially rare traits. Even his own swordsmanship wasn't stellar. Then he'd seen the members of Team Seven.

Uncanny resemblances were evident to the Mist shinobi. Karin's bright hair and his own habit of yelling paralleled Sakura's pink mane and Naruto's personality. Suigetsu wondered if Sasuke had purposely chosen them as a sort of replacement or if the whole thing had been subconscious. What he did understand were the occasional instances where Sasuke allowed Karin to fawn over him. She reminded him of Sakura. The kunoichi were fairly similar in stature, though their dispositions were almost polar.

The pinkette's introduction to the team had been an interesting development. Suigetsu had never seen Sasuke as often as he did once Sakura joined them. The shinobi had even begun to sit through meals and speak a little more often. The Uchiha's almost aggressive protectiveness had taken the Mist ninja by surprise, though. The confrontation over finding the green eyed girl in his chambers had been unexpected to say the least. Being impaled for interfering during their argument hadn't been all that enjoyable, either. The grey eyed shinobi winced a little at the memory. The only beating he'd really deserved was the one he got for sneaking into the master suite after being explicitly told not to. He should have seen that one coming.

But something about the petite medic fascinated Suigetsu. He'd dwelt on it on more than one occasion, trying to pinpoint just what it was that enthralled him. The reason still eluded him. He assumed it had something to do with her kindness. Sakura was sympathetic but not doting, something that shinobi appreciated in a medical specialist. It didn't hurt that she was gorgeous, either. Something about the soft femininity of her features attracted the Mist nin. Her unique hair color and emerald gaze had immediately interested Suigetsu as well. He was honest with himself about the fact that he liked the kunoichi a little bit. However, he was also straightforward in admitting to himself that she would never be his.

No, Sakura Haruno was already taken. Grey eyes wrinkled amusedly at the thought. She'd more than likely been claimed years before he met her, without her knowledge. There was something in the way the Uchiha survivor stood when he was in the pinkette's presence that radiated possession. Maybe it was the set of the dark haired male's shoulders toward the short kunoichi when he spoke to her or the way his eyes seemed to subtly follow her fluid motions. Suigetsu had known early on that there was something between the two, though. He'd simply never pieced together just how evident it was if one took a close enough look.

His white head thumped back against the soggy wall behind him. The water spots on the ceiling were no more entertaining than the liquid pooling opposite him, but it was better than nothing. Juugo's deep voice from the cell next to his cut into his thoughts. There was a slight clink of something metallic agiainst his teammate's bars, intended to get his attention, then the large man whispered, "Someone is coming."

Suigetsu rolled to his feet. He wanted to be ready for what he was sure was an interrogation squadron. His sharp features were arranged into strong lines when a figure appeared in front of his cell's door. The figure was strangely slim and seemed a little nervous as it reached toward the slot to slid something into his cell. Narrowing grey eyes, the Mist shinobi stalked toward the tray being pressed through, grabbing it roughly. A petrified squeak sounded from the decidedly female jail attendant. The nukenin blinked. They'd sent a terrified female to gain information from him?

A dark look clouded his features. They obviously didn't take him very seriously, but he could fix that. In a motion that was untraceable to the untrained eye, Suigetsu's well formed arm slipped between the bars before him, extending through past his elbow. His grip on the thin female's shoulder was vise like. Tugging her effortlessly toward him, he paused a moment in shock when her hood fell away to reveal her face.

She had delicately wrought features to rival Sakura's. High cheekbones and a dainty chin, her eyes were almond shaped and deeply set. Thick eyelashes framed brown eyes so dark they seemed black. Her shocked expression gave way to fear as she tried to wriggle free of his hold. Coming back to his senses, Suigetsu snarled, "Who sent you? What are your orders?"

The girl looked ready to cry as she babbled, "Kaede-baba sent me! I'm supposed to deliver meals! I'm sorry! I-"

The nukenin felt heat begin to rise to his face. He'd attacked a kitchen girl? That would explain the lack of muscle definition in the shoulder he was holding. His paranoia at being trapped in Konoha's prison was rising to all new heights. Retracting his grip and tsking at the girl, he replied, "Obviously you're civilian. You walk like a rhinoceros."

Twin spots of color rose high in the girl's cheeks. Sputtering for a moment and recovering a little, she replied, "Well! I-I..." She collected herself and jibed, "It wasn't even you that heard me coming! It was your big friend next door!" At the declaration, she pointed defiantly to the left of his cell, which actually housed a different prisoner, as Juugo was to her right. Suigetsu was smirking, about to tell her so when a voice down the hall sounded.

"Wench! Are you done yet?"

The mahogany eyes of the female civilian widened considerably as she hurriedly shoved the tray remaining in her hands into Juugo's cell. Once her task was complete, she called back, "Yes, sir! All finished!" Shooting the white haired Mist ninja a sour look, she quickly trotted off, back toward the ramp that lead to the exit. Once she was gone, Suigetsu was surprised to hear his teammate's voice once again. "She was entertaining."

* * *

Sakura was positive that she was dreaming. There was a sort of airy disconnection between what she was thinking and what she was experiencing. The leather wrapped grip in her hands didn't have the correct texture and the weapon itself had a strange almost fluid weightlessness. Her point of view was floating above her body, almost as if she were watching a stranger operate it. Sensations seemed muffled, as if they were being experienced through a veil. As her consciousness looked on, her physical form crested a hill she'd created. From her position, she could see Sai painting away on his scroll as her body crested the pile of boulders.

The dreaming girl felt her stomach drop with realization. She was watching the fight between the members of Team Seven, as she'd experienced it. Her body was standing at the top of the hill now, looking down toward Sasuke. She could just see the dark, swirling form of a fuuma shuriken curving up the steep incline, on a direct path for her physical form. As the spinning blade dew close, her vision blurred and refocused. Sakura was seeing from her own eyes once more.

All at once she was peering down the jagged slope, her axe braced before her as the fuuma shuriken impacted. The screeching of metal was absent, even as the impact of the weapon shoved her back. The pain she hazily remembered wasn't present either as the windmill curved around her side and up her back. No, the only detail in the dream was the bright red of Sasuke's eyes barreling up at her. Everything around her was black and white, washed out and indistinct. Everything but his eyes. They were boring into her as she dropped her axe and let her knees crumble under her weight. Following her descent as gravity took hold of her body.

Then they were gone, replaced by an explosion of color as her memory of the moment convoluted, skipping backward. Suddenly she was uninjured, standing before the same man as he grasped her chin. His eyes were black, untainted by the curse of his Clan as his lips begin to form words that were never finished. A different voice was the first one in her dream. Naruto's strained, angry tone broke in, "TEME!"

With that single word, every detail absent rushed back in extreme clarity. Sound, texture and color returned as Sasuke stepped between she and their third teammate. His muttered "Dobe." rang magnified in her ears. The same frustration rose in Sakura as she watched the friends fight. The blonde shinobi descended on the dark haired one in front of her only to be tossed back. The ninja still loyal to thier Village roared, "YOU BASTARD! GIVE SAKURA BACK, SHE BELONGS IN KONOHA!"

Sakura hardly heard the exclamation. She was staring at the impassive, stoic man blocking her from Naruto and trying to ignore the anger and futility pooling in her mind. The defined lines of the muscles that divided Sasuke's back were falling in and out of focus. Even in her dreams, the pinkette couldn't escape the emotions he inundated her with. She remembered what she'd said next. The suffix she'd given Naruto's name. It was the same one she now refused to add to Sasuke's despite what the past would suggest. She could see in her mind's eye the nukenin's back going rigid as she spoke it.

"Naruto-kun!"

It was so simple and at the same time so torturous. The simple additional syllable had been something she'd reserved for Sasuke in their Genin days. Something that set him apart from any other male she addressed. In her mind, the suffix had an almost taboo restriction to the man before her. Even years after the Uchiha had abandoned Konoha, she'd refused to use it for anyone else. The kunoichi knew that she held it in her mind as something that she shared only with her first love. But as she stood, barred from her hometown and everything she'd ever been loyal to by the very same man...she found herself left with only the desperate urge to understand.

She wanted to know why she'd been chosen to travel with Team Hebi when there were surely Village-less medic ninja willing to do the job. She needed to know if he cared for her at all or if she was just a means to an end once Itachi had been defeated. But even as the impulsion struck her, Sakura knew that finding the truth would be impossible. She'd never get the answers she wanted from the impenetrable fortress that was the shinobi in front of her. Sasuke would ignore her. He would never face her and say what he felt or thought. Suddenly anger poured in where longing had once lain.

The green eyed female had spent years of her life trying to first gain his attention and then to become strong enough to drag him home. Years that she could never regain. And still he ignored her. Still he underestimated her. His bottomless black eyes still saw nothing but a worthless, mediocre kunoichi that he was responsible for. She was only a burden in his eyes. Sakura no longer cared for Sasuke to confide in her. No, she wanted to cut him.

Not in a physical sense. Never that. She just wanted to shake him to his core--force a reaction from his stony facade. So she took the one thing she associated with him and attached it to his rival. In the acerbic split second between her words and Sasuke's reaction, Sakura wondered if he'd even notice. But then both men were still, the weight and gravity of her form of address taking both by surprise. The slight falter of the nukenin's grip on his kusanagi spoke volumes. He had noticed and he was not pleased.

What she remembered most vividly was the feeling of vindictive glory tinged with bitter regret. Victory in the fact that she'd _forced_ Sasuke react, regret in that she'd made him angry. It was the same feeling in different parts that filled her as the fuuma shuriken tore up the incline toward her shock frozen body. The emotions had returned, reversed when his weapon lurched toward her. She'd felt enormous regret that she'd made another mistake by stepping into its path, a hint of pride when she watched Sasuke's eyes go wide past the deforming metal of their colliding weapons. He did feel. His humanity wasn't gone completely.

In her half cognizant state, Sakura reasoned that some of that emotion, some of the emotional connection had to be associated with her. The thought filled her with more satisfaction than she felt was acceptable. But the sleeping girl's dream scape streaked and smeared, colors and sounds distorting as the memories she'd been experiencing fell away. She didn't get the opportunity to analyze the matter further as black flooded her field of vision as she fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

"Hatake Kakashi, Elite Level Jounin and former ANBU Squad Leader. What brings you to our chambers this day?"

Hands tucked deeply into his pockets, the grey eyed man tipped his head back amicably to observe the man who'd spoken. "Ah, honored Council members...I'm afraid that I've come to contest a ruling you have recently passed down."

From high on his bench, a particularly wrinkly old man raised a white eyebrow and creaked, "You question our judgement, Jounin-san?"

Kakashi just shifted and glanced confidently up to the elevated, semi-circular tier seating that housed the Elders of the Village. "Of course not, Your Honor. I would never do such a thing." Though he was smiling and for all intents and purposes completely sincere, the shinobi still managed to somehow seem _politely_ mocking. "I simply dispute your decision."

The old man from before retorted, "It is a close thing that you propose."

Chuckling, the wizened shinobi agreed, "Close, but not one and the same." He drew his hands from his pockets to fold them over his stomach. "I'll cut straight to the matter at hand. You recently convicted a Chuunin kunoichi by the name of Haruno Sakura as a traitor to our Village." The man paused completely, his sole eyes sweeping over the assembled Elders as he summarized, "You made her a nukenin."

A new member, an elderly female this time, jumped in. "I remember the case. She was a delusional girl! Obsessed with that traitorous Uchiha boy." A razor like gleam came to her glassy eyes as she commented, "Hmm, they were both students of yours...were they not, Hatake-san?"

His smokey gaze was infinately harder, though his expression did not change as Kakashi replied, "They were."

The female Councilwoman's smirk was pleased though her tone was falsely concerned. "Then I hope that _your_ judgement is not what is clouded in this matter." She settled back against the plush cushion she was seated on as she added, "After all, this Coucil's time is valuable. It would be a shame to waste it with emotion fueled appeals at perfectly justified rulings."

The Copy Ninja felt his sloth like demeanor begin to slip at the blatant attack on himself and his pupils. Rather than rising to the bait, he simply continued, "I assure you this appeal is based in fact and not emotion, Madam Councilor." Sure that their were no further interruptions, Kakashi began his argument. "I reviewed the transcriptions of the hearing conducted for Miss Haruno. Several high profile ninja testified in her favor. Even the Godaime herself was among them."

"The popularity or political standing of witnesses have no weight in this court, Jounin-san." Gnarled hands shook as an Elder planted his hands on the bench before him and leaned forward. "If the defendant is guilty, than a testimony from Kami-sama himself could not save them from the justice that this Court would pass down."

The catty woman from before added, "The Hokage's treasured deciple or not, that girl showed little respect for this Board on more than one occasion."

"So you BANISHED HER? YOU'RE CORRUPT! I-" Naruto's outburst was cut short as he was dragged from the Chamber by armed guards. Kakashi ignored the exclamation, trying to tamp down his sudden urge to strangle the loudmouth blonde.

The Councilwoman was borderline gleeful as she hissed, "Another of your students, yes? What an exemplary bunch you've fostered."

Kakashi's patience had worn thin. "My students are indeed exemplary. Each and every one is-"

"Disloyal or utterly tactless, from what has been observed by this Court. Now, is there a matter to be addressed here, or is Karou-san's worry realized? Are you simply wasting our time?"

Setting his jaw and locking his gaze onto the polished floor at his feet, the silver haired shinobi gritted out, "I move to gain permission from the Board to cross-examine a prisoner in conjunction with this case. Her only known title is 'Karin.' She is believed to have been a member of Team Hebi and was apprehended by a team I led into Rain Country. I have reason to believe that she is withholding viable evidence that was not entered into the hearing of Miss Haruno's case."

Councilwoman Karou's silky voice floated down like a venomous gas to Kakashi's ears. "I'm afraid that is impossible." When the elite ninja's head snapped up to face her, she explained, "That prisoner is currently...unavailable."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Kakashi had a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to like the answer, even as he asked for it.

"Prisoner 787, or 'Karin' as you've called her, was chosen to complete a task for the Board as part of her punishment." Karou's milky blue eyes found Kakashi's grey ones as she clarified, "She is tracking Uchiha Itachi."

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN! The plot thickens! It's only gonna get uglier, so hold on for the ride! Sorry about the delay, that Sakura dream sequence bit nearly killed me. There'll be SasuSaku interaction in the next installment, I promise!**

**Next chapter Monday evening or Tuesday.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	15. Black Part Two

**Black**

**Part Two**

"Hello, Old Girl." Jiraiya sighed breezily as he plopped into a chair opposite the Hokage desk. When the blonde head propped there didn't so much as shift, the Frog Sannin frowned. That particular insult usually worked Tsunade into a frenzy. The kunoichi's youth was always a sticky point for discussion. Rocking a little in his seat, the white haired man ventured, "Great weather we're having."

The heavy rain against the expansive widows behind her almost drowned out the medic's growled, "Get out."

Encouraged, the Pervy Sage smiled widely. "Now, you know I'd love nothing more than to entertain myself elsewhere..." When the Godaime still didn't raise her head at the promise of peeping, Jiraiya began to worry but decided to forge ahead. "But, there's a band of kids out there who need their generation's Tsunade back."

A watery sound was heard at the oblique mention of Sakura. Finally, the legendary kunoichi set her chin on her forearms, locking tear stained eyes onto his. "She's gone. There is nothing I can do."

Rubbing a hand through his wild mane, the 'author' paused a moment before replying, "Oh, come on, Nade! I'm sure there's something-"

The sound of splintering wood and the blonde's fist smacking into the desk's surface interrupted his speech. "You don't think I've tried?! I have checked every single piece of legislation I could get my hands on! SHE'S GONE!" Slumping back into her chair, Tsunade muttered, "That's the beauty of being Hokage, don't you know? Strongest ninja of the village...but just a figurehead in political matters." She chuckled and stared down at her hands. "It doesn't matter that I can preform surgery without an incision or shatter boulders with my pinkie! All it takes is an airy word and the girl I think of as-as my d-daughter is _b-banished_! Oh _gods_!"

Jiraiya felt his chest constrict as the proudest woman he knew dropped her head to her hands and began to sob. Rising from his seat and striding to join Tsunade on the other side of the desk, he whispered, "Tsunade, I'm sorry. I didn't realize she'd been banished. I just heard-"

Shying away from the hand he extended toward her shoulder, the woman hissed, "Of course you didn't _realize_! You were out chasing whores while I took care of the Village, just like you've always done. Nothing new."

Not backing away at the Godaime's suddenly prickly demeanor, the white haired man advanced closer instead. He knew that her jabs were her defense mechanism. Tsunade was feeling vulnerable emotionally, so she was lashing out. He knew from experience that a few words would disarm her or set her off. She was like a ticking time bomb. So, he chose his carefully as he murmured, "I came as soon as I heard. You know I'll always come when you call."

The sad female just laughed darkly. "Like a lapdog. Well, that's what I am, too."

Smirking a little roguishly, Jiriaya quipped, "I'd gladly sit in your lap, milady." The grin fell from his face when the blonde ignored the perversion of her statement. Glossing a large, rough hand over her silky locks, the Frog Sannin braced his brawny frame against the lip of the desk. Aiming for a different approach, he reminisced, "I remember when you used to let me brush your hair."

A true smile flickered over his rugged features. "One hundred and fifty strokes. That was the perfect number for a shiny, healthy mane." He worked his fingers through her pigtails until he freed the ties, catching them and dropping them onto the cracked desk. Chuckling a little, he went on, "You must have read it in one of those beauty magazines you used to love." Finger combing the long strands as he loosened them, he gradually integrated both of his hands into his motions.

Soon, he was slowly threading both through her long hair. He alternated between working his thick fingers over her scalp and kneading her shoulders with open palms. After a while, he quietly said, "Nade, I know you're upset. I know that. But what you're doing right now isn't going to bring Sakura back." Feeling her back go ramrod straight under his grip, Jiraiya hastily went on, "Caging yourself up in here boozing away your demons won't accomplish-"

Tsunade jerked herself from his grip before he could go on. She was on her feet instantly, rounding on him. Furiously, she demanded, "Fine! You're absolutely right! It won't! But what do you know, you old FOOL?!" She jabbed a shaky finger at his chest and railed, "But you've been lying to yourself and hiding in those trashy novels of yours far longer than I've been a drunk!" Her blonde locks whipped behind her like a fiery halo. "I'm only the gods-damned Hokage because you were too fucking lazy to do the job! Well, I'm tired of cleaning up your messes, Jiraiya! Look where it's gotten me!" Her voice went out as she wailed hoarsely, "Everyone is DEAD or GONE and it's _ALL MY FAULT_!"

As her anger gave way to tears, the shinobi stepped forward, gathering the woman into his strong embrace. Ignoring his habitual instinct to do something that would get him hospitalized, the white haired man instead dropped his square jaw onto her shoulder. Trying to calm the shuddering of the kunoichi in his arms, he murmured into her ear, "I'm not gone, Old Girl. I'll stay if you need me to." As she continued to hiccup and warble thin, heart breaking sounds, he repeated, "I'll stay."

* * *

Sasuke stared flatly at the man across the counter. The middle aged man's beady eyes were roving over the thickly bundled form draped over his back with glaringly obvious distrust. A single, dark eyebrow rising slowly upward inspired the attendant to hand him the key he'd requested. Grunting in distaste, the shinobi dropped the appropriate amount of cash into the motel owner's sweaty palm. He turned, stalking toward the room he'd rented without allowing the man to voice his concern.

The lock to the door was rusted, making opening it even once the key had been used difficult. Only the kunoichi slumped onto his shoulders kept Sasuke from manually forcing his way inside. A breathy groan in his ear made the Uchiha jiggle the handle a little more violently. Sakura was coming to early. At last the door swung inward and he stepped hurriedly inside. He wanted to set her down and have a moment to collect his thoughts. He still had to find a way to explain.

A pathetic creak rose from the mattress as he dropped her wrapped figure onto it. He shifted back momentarily, only to step forward again in indecision. Slowly, he peeled the layers he'd curled around her away. First was his thick, dark cloak followed by her lighter one and the thin blanket that he'd found in her bedroll. Eventually the kunoichi was left in only his too large tee shirt and the plain shorts he'd bought for her in a town they'd passed through.

Sitting cagily at the very edge of the bed beside Sakura, Sasuke tried to find words to say what he needed to. His restless energy only grew as the pinkette began to shift. He sprang up when her eyelids began to flicker. When her groggy voice reached his ears, he was standing at the mouldering window, his back to the mattress. "O...oh." The shoddy springs beneath her squealed as Sakura sat up. "What--what happened?"

Pressing a hand to her forehead, the kunoichi squinted her eyes against the dim light filling the rooom. Green gaze locking onto the stiff back of the shinobi who refused to answer, she asked instead, "Who healed my back?" She crumpled her brow thoughtfully, "Was Ino there?" Sasuke simply grunted. Still half sleeping and confused, the pinkette quizzed, "Did you hurt-"

A growl interrupted her. "Naruto-_kun_?" He rounded on her, asking viciously, "Does the dobe's condition worry you?" Slinking silently toward the still seated female, he smirked, "I didn't realize you cared, Sakura." He didn't stop advancing until their knees were brushing. Raising a hand to ghost past her ear, removing a stray fiber from her pale mane. He twirled the string between his fingers meditatively as he waited for her response.

Glaring, Sakura disregarded his sharp jibe. "Why am I not in Konoha?" The dark smile that fell over his strong features made her heart drop. It had been a long, long time since she'd seen Sasuke smile. The acerbic tint to it made her feel lightheaded. Whatever he said next would not be good.

He felt his eyes burn familiarly with the impulse to engage his blood limit. Sasuke no longer felt the thick, choking sensation that had once threatened to overwhelm him. No, the creeping consumption trickling into his mindset now was easy to recognize. Loathing. Resentment. Rage. Sakura had moved on without him since he'd left. Her proclamation of love, the one he could never quite forget about, was obviously just a lie. And Naruto. _Naruto-kun._ His rival. His best friend. The need to knock her down, level their playing field, was pounding between his eyes. "You aren't wanted there."

Her response wasn't what he expected. Rather than tears or anger, she simply stared. "W-what?" Her eyes were wide as he shifted, pulling something from his wide sleeve. Metal caught the low light of the room, its prominent leaf symbol crossed out cleanly. Blue fabric skimmed her fingers as Sakura reached up, grasping Sasuke's forehead protector. Realization had yet to dawn on her as she let the soft material flow over her knuckles. "I don't understand."

Rough fingertips contacted the underside of her jaw, tilting it until her green eyes were looking into his black ones. "You're a nukenin, Sakura. Just. Like. Me."

* * *

The steady fall of the rain outside the little cafe made a dreary backdrop for the gathered Jounin seated inside. Even Shikamaru's lazy posture was a little off kilter with the tension that surrounded him. The blonde kunoichi seated snugly next to him in the half booth, half table arrangement was tapping nervously at the tabletop beneath her fingers. Naruto was watching the ripples in his glass that resulted from Ino's fidgeting with an absent gaze. His abnormal silence left only the rhythm of the weather outside to fill the silence. Only Sai seemed unperturbed by the air of unease that had settled over the party. The slightly smiling shinobi sat casually, his ink brush rasping over the surface of his parchment.

A tinkling sound made all eyes turn to the door. Kakashi sauntered in, his head hung lower than its usual cocked position. Naruto felt his stomach drop to his toes with realization at what it must have meant. The Council had strong armed the shinobi's attempt at an appeal. Their plan to reverse Sakura's sentence had failed. The blond's elbows slammed down against the table as his head fell to its surface.

Before the obviously distraught Ino could speak, the elite ninja held up a hand and said slowly, "The Elders denied the suit. The kunoichi we captured was black bagged. We'll probably never find her." His grey eyes dropped from the tearing blue ones of the Yamanaka kunoichi. "I tried. I'm sorry." Shikamaru's dark eyes watched the older man's fingers begin to form seals for teleportation with a numb sort of recognition.

A booming voice and the jangle of the bells interrupted Kakashi's exit. "Wait just a moment, if you would, Kakashi-san!" Jiraiya's slipped into the restaurant with uncanny ease, his broad shoulders concealed the figure who trailed behind him. "I believe we may just have a partial solution to our problem!" Glasses clanged riotously as both Ino and Naruto sprung to their feet.

"What do we need to do?" The two anxious blondes were beaten to voicing their urgent curiosity by a collected Sai.

The voice that answered came from behind the Frog Sannin. "You four won't be doing anything as you're confined to Konoha." Tsunade's rejuvenated form stepped out from behind the shinobi before specifying, "But I've already assigned the two who can." A confident smile was curling over her lips and her hands were fisted at her hips, "The Council will never know what's hit them." Her legendary air had returned as the Godime strode to stand before the younger ninja.

"They assigned a select group of ANBU to accompany the Hebi kunoichi. It was hard to convince them to send a replacement pair when the two they had in mind magically turned out to be 'double booked.'" A throaty laugh poured from the Slug Sannin. "After all, they may be able to weasle their politics past me, but I still command the ninja of this Village." Dropping a hand onto the tabletop, she asked airily, "But then came the dilemma...who would the Council approve? Then it occurred to me...Who better than Hyuuga Neji, prodigy of the Council's biggest backer...The Hyuuga Clan."

Shikamaru smirked, catching on, "And Neji works with Tenten. Always." Sitting up a little more engagingly, he asked, "How will you contact them without tipping off the Elders?"

Listing against the table, Tsunade smiled, "Oh, I have my ways."

* * *

"No." Sakura's eyes were so wide that the corners felt irritated and pained. Her head began to shake: back and forth. Laughing a little forcibly, she demanded, "Why? Why didn't they take me-"

Sasuke swept in closer, until his breath fanned over her face. He repeated emphatically, "You. Aren't. Wanted. There."

"N-Wha? No! Why? How? I-" Fisting her hands into the bedsheets at her hips and jerking away from his fingers, she insisted, "You're lying!" She shifted her weight, attempting to stand. Sasuke shifted, forcing her to remain as she was.

He just tilted his head, letting her vent and deny his words. At last, he questioned, "I'm not. Ask yourself...would Kakashi let me-"

Jamming her hands over her ears, Sakura threw her head to and fro, her pink locks flying. "No! Stop! You're just being cruel!" Her voice clogged with emotion as she demanded, "Why?" Logic began to creep into her frantic mind as she tried to reason with the situation. "Why would they--Why would they name me a...traitor?"

Sasuke let his chin drop forward, slanting her a condescending look as he replied, "Sakura." Raising a knee to climb onto the bed, advancing toward the kunoichi curled in the center. He crawled steadily toward her with each taunting answer. "Traveling with a known S-class criminal. Providing aid. Collaborating on a mission. Failing to report after your mission..." Soon she was laid out beneath him, her glassy gaze boring into him.

Fear, nausea and more additional emotions than Sakura had ever felt were swirling in her mind. Her breathing stopped. Her heat skipped. Her lungs felt empty. Her eyes burned. She...was a missing ninja. A traitor to her Village. The very thing she'd sought to save Sasuke from had befallen her. Tsunade, Naruto, Ino, Sai EVERYONE she knew in Konoha would think she'd turned her back. Turned her back on their home for the sake of the man above her.

Sasuke Uchiha. Her first love and first heartbreak. His black, void like eyes were staring down into hers with an intensity that didn't seem possible. All at once, the feelings that were clouding her mind began to drain away until only one thing was left. Anger. Pure, unadulterated anger. So much of it that her vision tinted red. How DARE he? He was crouched so smugly above her, telling her that her entire world had just crashed down around her ears. He didn't even care. He didn't even feel _sorry_.

If not for him, she'd be home in Konoha. If not for him, she'd still be a loyal kunoichi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She'd be training with Tsunade or Kakashi or Naruto. Maybe eating lunch with Ino or strolling the main drag with Sai. She'd risked everything for the shinobi above her. And it had all fallen down around her, shattered like so much glass. Her life was utterly ruined, left in shambles...and he didn't even bat an eye.

The same Sasuke she'd devoted the majority of her young life to, the man who'd forced her into the situation couldn't summon the emotion necessary to so much as give her space. Instead he was crowding over her, watching the tears pouring over her cheeks and the flush flooding her entire face. Rage and frustration and things she didn't even know she could feel crested in her chest, burning and scalding as it rose. Then, suddenly it was in her throat--her mouth, erupting, "I hate you!"

Her small fist smacked into Sasuke's chest as she screamed again, "I HATE you! It's all your fault! I-I can't go b-back and-" Her breath whooshed out as he dropped his partial weight onto her flailing body. His eyes were the darkest red she'd ever seen them when he replied.

"Hate?" It was so soft for a moment, Sakura wasn't sure he'd actually spoken. But then he was so close she could feel the words form against her lips as he snarled them. "Hate me, Sakura?" Her chest thrummed with his velvety chuckle. Before she could respond, his lips were over hers. She couldn't call it a kiss. It was a branding, a punishment. Not a gesture of affection, not at all. It was Sasuke's method of proving a point. He continued to slash his mouth over hers dominantly until she began to respond, her fuller lips gaping open with the desperate need for air. Pulling mockingly at her lower lip as he retreated, the shinobi looked into her eyes as he murmured, "No. I know hate." He tapped a calloused finger against her chin. "_That_ did not feel like hate."

In a flicker of movement, he was standing next to the mattress. Sasuke stood for a moment, watching as the petite female curled into herself, sobbing and shaking her head. The rage he'd felt was failing, falling away to be replaced with the same sinking sensation he'd felt before. Ripping red eyes away from Sakura's crumbled form, the shinobi flash stepped to the door. A second later the only sound inside the room was that of the door creaking closed as the sole occupant cried herself to sleep.

* * *

**End Black Part Two.**

**There you have it, the first of a multitude of SasuSaku moments to come. The next update isn't set in stone, but may be on Thursday or Friday. **

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	16. Yellow Green

**Yellow Green**

Rain streaked down in sheets around the shadowy pair moving silently through the trees. Sparse moonlight reflected sharply from the bone white masks worn by the ninja, the slashes of red paint that adorned them gleaming like still wet blood on their porcelain surfaces. A set of white violet eyes slanted subtly to the left, catching the svelte figure moving there in its peripheral vision. The ANBU being observed pretended not to notice.

A loud clap from overhead shattered the relative peace of the stormy nighttime and was followed closely by a lightshow that forked over the sky. Beneath the ghastly representation of a falcon, Hyuuga Neji smiled. Thunder and lightening. Disregarding the rainwater steadily soaking the tight black mesh beneath his white body armor, the dark haired shinobi considered the combination. He and Tenten, the kunoichi to his left, had earned the nicknames in their recent but highly successful careers as ANBU.

He was the 'thunder.' His enormous chakra reserve made for an intimidating presence, rolling in and drawing attention. Tenten was like lightening: her metallic weapons flashing from the heavens as she descended behind him. They made a perfect pair, more so now that he'd found a way to pull her inside his Kaiten. The move was a last resort, due to the high risk involved, but it was nearly flawless when correctly executed. An impenetrable defense that could fire a nearly endless array of weaponry from within. Tenten had jokingly called it the 'Thunderbolt Technique.'

Sliding his all seeing eyes slightly left again, Neji wondered what his Clan would think of a non-member being a part of the Gentle Fist style. A flicker of red ribbon trailing from her single bun startled the shinobi into looking due south once more. The bite of his rubber soled sandal against the branch beneath him as he rebounded from his last leap was audible. In his distraction, Neji had fractionally miscalculated the distance between the last tree and the one he'd just landed upon. Cinnamon irises, only just visible beneath a panda designed facade, locked instantly onto his own. She was startled. The kunoichi had never known her partner to slip up in the course of a mission.

When the pale, arrogant profile of the shinobi remained steadily forward, ignoring her questioning gaze, Tenten mentally shrugged the occurrence off. She knew better than to ask what was bothering him. If he wanted to tell her, he would. Nimbly avoiding a stark moonbeam that pierced the otherwise dark forest, the lithe female continued onward. They had a time frame, after all. Tsunade-sama's instructions said that intercepting the team currently escorting their target would take flawless punctuality.

Her hand absently drifted to the debriefing scroll strapped into the thin pouch on the breast of her vest. She and Neji were going to be responsible for making sure Kakashi's star witness completed her goose hunt assignment and made it back to Konoha in one piece. Shifting her shoulders to feel the comforting weight of her main summoning scroll slide over her tense back, Tenten tried to ignore the stress steadily building in her mind. Sakura depended on them. Thoughts of the pink haired medic and all that she'd done for the inhabitants of the Village, herself included, made the kunoichi jittery.

Neji noticed the ornately embroidered scarf trailing from his teammate's form fluttering erratically behind her suddenly jumpy movements. The worry line that formed on his pale brow for a millisecond was hidden by his mask. His low voice carried on the water laden air, "We'll complete the mission promptly as always, Tenten."

His stare didn't stray from the woodland in front of him, nor did his voice belay concern...but the sepia eyed kunoichi at his side knew the fact that he'd even chosen to voice the sentiment spoke volumes. Smiling lightly behind her disguise and letting the tension drain from her muscles, she simply nodded once. Because Tenten knew Neji like lightening knew thunder.

* * *

"We're leaving." Sasuke knew that the kunoichi on the bed had heard his declaration. He was standing four feet from the foot of the mattress, half facing her tightly balled form. However, her petite body remained curled almost painfully small in its center, unmoving. She looked defeated somehow. As if her complexion and aura had paled to a shadow of what it was before he'd broken the news. The thick leather strap that ran over his palm to secure his forearm brace creaked within his grip. Sakura had refused to so much as open her eyes since he'd returned to the motel room.

Striding to stand where he could tower over her, the Uchiha steadily pressed her left shoulder until she was no longer folded inward on herself. He frowned when he saw that she looked just as fragile sprawled on her back. Black eyes gazed down into her blank features for a long moment before he spoke. "You are awake." He knew factually that she was. Her breathing wasn't evenly timed as it would be if she were sleeping. It was choppy and almost alarmingly infrequent. Almost as if she were holding it for long periods before exhaling through her nose. Sasuke wondered if she was still struggling not to cry.

The dark haired ninja felt his brows draw down as his expression became guarded. Perhaps his actions had been too impulsive. He had spent several hours of the previous night patrolling the perimeter of the town they were staying in. He hadn't known what else to do once he left the rented room, but hadn't felt comfortable listening to her breakdown. The shinobi refused to admit to himself that the possibility she may say that she 'hated' him again drove him out more than anything else. Being uncomfortable with a situation wasn't something he was wholly unused to, anyway.

Either way, he had wandered silently through most of the cool night. His brooding mood had been reflected in his chakra signature, or so it seemed. Everywhere Sasuke had paced, civilians and beasts had cleared away hastily. It was as if they could feel his mal intent preceding his physical form. He returned, hardly tired at dawn to settle in next to the pitifully crumpled form of Sakura. His back had been toward her for the entire time he'd rested, but the slight reverberations of the springs as she heaved in shaky breaths had kept him awake. Aware. He had done the thing that was grieving her and he couldn't escape it. _And she just wouldn't stop crying_. Sasuke was ready to simply haul her from the bed in repressed frustration when she stirred.

Her eyelids slid open so gradually it was obviously hesitant. His observant mind quietly watched her pupils contract from thin rings to almost pinpricks as they adjusted. The usual apple green of the kunoichi's irises had washed out to an almost grey hue with her distress. Something so unused it was cobweb covered began to pulse in Sasuke's mind at the raw, red tear tracks he noticed on Sakura's cheeks. Pity, he decided or maybe guilt. It was like liquid frost coursing from behind his eyes and down his throat to gather in his stomach. It felt like a thousand little jagged edges were catching inside him as the emotion washed through.

He didn't know what made him speak when he growled, "He is alive." Rather than watch the reaction bloom over the medic's features, Sasuke jerked the covers back from her body and stooped to gather his pack. He knew that when he stepped outside she'd follow. The shinobi didn't bother glancing back when he heard the door open and close softly behind him. Rather he just clasped his black cloak under his chin and began to stride out into the rain. He had cleared the overhang of the building when her thin, tired voice made him pause. "Sasuke?"

Sakura watched his onyx hair shift at his nape as he turned his head slightly to indicate he'd heard her. A jolt of a kind of fondness for the handsome picture he made with Uchiha fan displayed boldly on his broad back trickled through her system. Raw power seemed to permeate him and the haze of water splashing off of the surface of his clothing made him seem ethereal. The sight of him standing there in the rain, a straw hat keeping the pouring droplets from his head and neck, made her rethink her question. The pinkette no longer wanted to know why he'd chosen her to travel with him. Didn't want to think about the fact her traitor status was his fault. She was just impossibly relieved to have even a ghost of her past when everything else she knew was beyond her reach.

She jogged to catch up with him and scowled a little at the water that splashed into her sandals. Sasuke slanted his dark eyes toward her face when she drew up next to him. Sakura just grinned a little reluctantly and explained, "I didn't want to be left behind." The male just grunted in acceptance and seemed to study the water steadily coating her features for a second before murmuring, "Pull up your hood." He began to walk once more instead of waiting for her to do as he'd asked. The sloshing footsteps of the petite kunoichi trailing behind him made a wisp of a grin flutter over his strong face. The Sakura he remembered was the one following him now.

* * *

The blood in his mouth made Suigetsu gag. Gathering the majority of the fluid onto his tongue, he crudely spat it onto the boots of the man before him. He smiled into the punch the gesture earned him. The squishy feeling of a back molar coming loose with the impact of the hit made the captive grimace once more. He tried to glare at the ninja who was 'interrogating' him, but the coagulated blood and mud in his hair made it difficult for him to see. The concern was promptly taken care of when the torture specialist gripped his bangs so hard that his scalp throbbed and jerked his head back until his neck cracked.

Bright light from the naked bulb high above him made the nukenin squint. The masked ninja asked in a monotone, "Are you ready to tell me what I want to know?"

Gurgling a chuckle and smiling to display his pinkened canines, Suigetsu replied, "Tell you that I hurt Sakura?" He tilted his head at the man condescendingly when he nodded. "Then you mean: 'Tell me what I want to hear, Suigetsu.' And in that case I've already told you a hundred times." The shinobi kicked his feet as much as he could with the bonds chaining them to the chair he was seated in, acting as though he didn't have a care in the world. He looked the interrogator dead in the eye and breezed, "I may be a nukenin, Asshole, but I don't make a habit of lying."

A swift strike to his solar plexus made the Mist shinobi see stars. Coughing violently, he wheezed, "Do you honestly think the brass knuckles are necessary?" He stuck out his lower lip and quipped, "I bruise like a peach." Suigetsu felt his jaw creak with the pressure of the uppercut he earned for his mouthiness. Cursing and flexing his bite experimentally, the male wiggled his half numb fingers where they were tied behind his back. The amount of pain pouring into his brain was starting to make him woozy. Seriously, he intoned, "I didn't hurt the girl. No bullshit." Sighing and letting his chin fall forward onto his chest, he muttered, "Sasuke wouldn't let me if I tried."

The aged voice of a woman interrupted the session. "The Uchiha brat always was stingy." Fog grey eyes blearily tried to focus on the silhouette that stepped into the pool of light he was seated inside. A wrinkly hand found his feverish brow as she continued, "And he thinks the Haruno medic is his." She chortled acidly. "As little as I care for the girl, myself and my associates can hardly stand for a Hokage who would...hold a grudge against our Board." The woman's craggy features finally swam into clarity for Suigetsu as she purred, "I'd like to make you a deal."

The Mist shinobi felt his features split into a wide smile. They obviously didn't know who he was dealing with. He'd spent most of his young life wading through the lies of politicians in Kiri. The corrupt machinations of Konoha were unlikely to pose a challenge. Perhaps things were finally going to swing his way. Manipulation and mutilation were his specialties, after all. Deciding to humor the old hag, he crossed his ankles and replied, "Lay it on me, Baba."

* * *

Sakura felt strangely young as she followed Sasuke through a flooded meadow. She could almost feel the tips of her hair tickling her elbows as a gust of wind kicked up. Running a hand hastily through her hardly shoulder length locks for reassurance, she stared at the shinobi before her. His footfalls hardly disturbed the puddles he stepped in and were so near soundless it was a little uncanny. The unconscious skill he exuded made her feel even more like the girl she'd once been. Carefully shifting her weight to muffle her next step, the pinkette continued to follow Sasuke.

They had both been quiet since they'd set out early in the day. The woodlands of outer Rain Country had given way to rolling green plains as they moved toward its interior. Wrinkling her nose and tugging her hood a little lower over her face, Sakura crabbily noted that the rain only got heavier. Occasional showers had transformed into a relentless, steady fall of rainwater. She could feel her hardly wavy hair begin to curl with the excess moisture of the air. A wan smile found her lips when she noticed Sasuke's spikes begin to droop.

Dismissing the happy expression with something between guilt and horror, the kunoichi wondered if she was in shock. She had just been labelled a traitor to her hometown and she was _smiling_? Self loathing settled into her belly as she fidgeted with the shoulder strap on her right side. She wasn't going to get to go home and see her parents or friends...ever again. Her gut twisted and her breathing hitched. A forearm low on her abdomen made her stumble to a stop.

Sasuke's voice was faint on the thick atmosphere as he intoned, "Stop." Sakura felt boiling anger well in her body at his highhanded demand. She was ready to snap at him when he cut her off. "Something is coming." A predatory glint lit his dark eyes at the thought. Stepping fully in front of her, he watched the bend two hundred feet or so ahead of them fixedly. Surely enough, a group of five men emerged from the tall grass within moments. They were dressed in fine clothes, but the way they fit them seemed strange. Too short hems and baggy waistlines told the kunoichi that the garments had been tailored for dead men. Wandering bandits. Groups like that were not uncommon, especially in Countries as unstable as Kiri.

A clatter of metal and bawdy laughter floated to the pair of nukenin's ears as they stood stonily. The tallest of the men, dressed in blue silk and a gold trimmed hat, noticed them first. His shout alerted the other men and soon each of them were armed. Scythes and crude swords were drawn, along with a bo staff and a handful of throwing stars. A stockier man stepped forward, settling his staff along his shoulders and yelling cockily, "Give us anything of value you carry and no one has to die."

Sakura demurely covered her lips with a slender hand to mask her amused smile. They obviously weren't the brightest thieves in River Country. Sasuke's aura alone should have warned them away. If they couldn't read chakra, they were civilians. The grin fell from the medic's face as she thought of the butchery that would occur if she left them to her companion. She may have been forced to abandon her Village, but she had retained her moral compass. Humming a little to herself and lifting the wide brimmed hat from Sasuke's head, she spoke softly and flashed him a smirk as she passed him. "Let me." The shinobi scowled as the rain began to soak his previously dry face. Rather than reprimand the female, he simply knocked the hair away from his eyes and watched as she strolled up the path to the bandits.

The bo wielder laughed heartily at the petite girl walking calmly toward him. Pointing a meaty finger at Sasuke's still form, he baited, "You're letting a woman protect you? What kind of man are you?"

The rain drenched shinobi smiled mirthlessly, revealing perfectly even, white teeth. "Hn. The kind who could kill you all in an instant."

The thief didn't seem to take the threat seriously as he continued to snort. Rolling the straw hat in her hands, Sakura paused about five yards before the band of men. Roving her eyes over them, she stated, "He's telling the truth, you know." She tapped the wet surface of the hat absently. "It'd take me a little longer than that..." Smiling, she reassured them, "But I don't intend to kill you." At their disbelieving looks, she just grinned and chirped, "Watch the hat, boys!"

As the words left her, Sakura tossed the hat in a high arc over her head. It spun marvelously, throwing off the fall of raindrops until it looked like some kind of aquatic whirlwind. The three men who heeded her words and followed the watery display with their eyes were knocked unconscious with a flicker of movement as her clones appeared from the tall grass. Only two remained as she dismissed the buushin with a simple seal. The man carrying a bo staff charged recklessly toward her, leaving her to smoothly sidestep him and tug his weapon from his amateur grip.

Calmly sweeping the pole in a tight radius around her body, she slammed its rounded end between its owner's eyes and warded off the remaining bandit simultaneously. As the bulky man dropped to the ground, out cold, the kunoichi flicked a concealed senbon toward the last man's neck. His eyes bulged as its dose of knock out serum took effect. The fifth man was still falling when she extended the bo, catching Sasuke's hat on its descent. Holding the pole steady as the wide brim wobbled, she nimbly flicked the staff in the shinobi's direction.

The dark haired man was completely motionless aside from the arm that struck out, plucking the accessory from flight effortlessly. He watched, reserved, as the pinkette proceeded to flip all of the men onto their backs so they wouldn't drown face down in one of the many standing puddles. She was arranging their hats over their faces to keep the downpour off of them when he spoke. "You spared them."

Sakura froze in the process of sheltering the last man's slack features. Haltingly, but without looking at him, she continued her motions and agreed, "I did." When he remained silent she knew he wanted an explanation. "I knew you would just kill them, so I took care of it."

He tilted his head, considering the men lying to the side of the road. "They killed." Sasuke flicked his magnetic gaze toward her back as he waited for her reaction. Her eyes found his as she stood, brushing as much mud from her knees as she could. She hummed amiably and shrugged on her pack. The shinobi fought the urge to shake his head at her naivety as they began to travel once more. Her behavior matched the Genin he'd left in Konoha, even if her skill did not.

* * *

**Wow, over 900 reviews! Thanks you guys, that's awesome! Sorry for the late update, prom and a major essay bogged me down a bit. :) **

**Two readers made fan art for this fic! They're both gorgeous, so please go and check them out. You can find them under the accounts 'theredphantom' (titled: Haruno Sakura) and 'sorceressmyr' (titled: Farewell, my Konoha) on deviantART. Thank both of you again, your talent is amazing. **

**This chapter is officially dedicated to Rianna (or AngeLhearteD as she's known around here) as May 3 was her birthday! X3**

**Next chapter will be out Tuesday or Wednesday.**

**Thanks for reading and please review.**


	17. Blue Green

**Blue Green**

Karin's red eyes were slanted angrily as she railed at her escort. "So what if I'm a Tracking nin? I don't know what I'm looking for! How the hell do you expect me to pick a direction?" Throwing her hands up and stalking away from the masked ANBU, the kunoichi tried her best not to do anything to get herself killed. Before she could move too far from the pair, the quieter of the two spoke up. "It's like Death."

The red head spun to face the older male instantaneously, asking, "What do you mean?" Garnet eyes watched as the tall man dropped from the branch he'd been scouting from to stand before her on the dirt path. Speckled golden light was falling onto his pearly ox mask as he clarified, "Uchiha Itachi. His chakra is like near tangible dread, condensed so tightly that when he focuses on you...it's as if you're already dead. Your will to fight, to live is gone." He began to pace toward her, continuing, "His aura is like a blight on the very fabric of existence. It's a hundred memories of fear and hate and rage, frozen and transposed into a man." The elite ninja was standing so close she could see his pale brown eyes through the cut outs of his mask.

Karin could feel her hands shaking so she fisted them as tightly as she could to disguise it. Before more could be said, the younger ANBU interrupted, "Ignore my partner." He glanced meaningfully at the man towering over her. "He fancies himself a poet." At the other shinobi's words, the man who'd spoken stepped back, returning to his perch without another comment. The younger of the two, whose mask resembled a rat, said, "Your file mentioned that you spent time with Uchiha Sasuke." Carefully calculating before she spoke, Karin responded, "Yes. I was a part of his team."

She had even had the 'feel' of Itachi's aura explained to her by her Team Leader. It was the fact that she didn't want to meet up with the Atatsuki member sans Sasuke that kept her from voicing that particular detail. The nukenin who'd led Hebi had described his older brother's chakra signature a little differently though. The research he'd done said that auras often matched personalities and demeanor. His words had been halting and loathing as he painted a mental portrait of the traitor. He'd called it inky, like a smokey shadow--only smoother and somehow more elusive. Karin didn't know what to call the expression on Sasuke's face as he said the words. Hatred wasn't a strong enough word. She wasn't sure there was one adequate.

"Then use his signature as a base line and fan the area." Crossing his arms, the man in the rat mask added, "If they're brothers, odds are their chakra is fairly similar." At her hesitant nod, he turned back towards the tree, hopping up to speak to the ox masked male. The red eyed kunoichi stalled a moment, until they both glanced down expectantly, to close her eyes and concentrate. A massive, tightly reigned aura overwhelmed her almost instantly. Gasping and staggering back a step, Karin snapped her eyes open and stared to the west, dumbfounded.

The ANBU pair in the tree above her perked up, facing the same direction in the blink of an eye. A katana and kunai were drawn simultaneously as they fell into fight ready stances. A strange bird call echoed from the distance and the weapons disappeared as quickly as they'd come. Straightening, the younger male turned and addressed his comrade, "Why would Konoha send reinforcements?" The taller shinobi just shook his head, gesturing for silence as he stared toward the source of the signal.

Karin jumped when a female voice sounded from the shadowy underbrush only meters from where she stood. She hadn't felt a second signature at all. It'd been completely eclipsed by the larger, more dominant aura. The words the unseen woman spoke were somehow vague to her ears, as if they were faint but at the same time sufficiently within earshot. The red head reasoned that it was had to be a high level, subterfuge justu. Whatever it was, her captors understood and hesitated only a moment before flickering away with the early morning breeze.

Their smoke plumes had hardly dissipated when a new pair of Leaf special forces dropped onto the road to either side of Karin. One was slender and femine, the other taller and masculine in appearance. The hawk masked one turned to his partner, his long tail of jet hair trailing. "Mission complete."

* * *

Watching dawn break over the misty fields of tall grass was making something stir in the back of Sakura's psyche. The shocked calm that had settled over her at thoughts of Sasuke was beginning to dim and fade. As she sat up on her sleeping mat, staring at the horizon, she tried to sort through her emotions. Logically. She was utterly devastated about her nukenin status. The tight, sharp sensation in her chest at the very thought proved that. No matter what she'd once promised Sasuke, young and desperate at the Konoha Gates, she never wanted to betray her Village. But even as the thought occurred to her, she wondered if she was being truthful. Would she have chosen him? Even at the cost of home? Had she already?

Confusion crept up on her emotion saturated thoughts. If what Sasuke had said was true, then she had dug her own grave. She'd actively assisted the 'Uchiha traitor' and failed to report on her own mission. The pink haired girl exhaled slowly and hugged her knees as she continued to contemplate. Who had been in the party who'd caught up to Team Hebi? Naruto and Sai were the only two she'd seen. But common sense told her that there should have been at least two more, maybe even an elite Jounin. Her healing led her to believe that Ino had been present, though Sasuke had brushed the question aside.

Her green eyes traced the jagged line the grassy plants around her made against the sunrise. That left one more possible slot open for another Jounin. The first who popped into her mind were Chouji and Shikamaru, since she assumed Ino was present. She tried to rack her thoughts for clues. If Juugo and Suigetsu had been captured, that meant someone had to have attacked the villa. As occupied as she'd been when the whole event had transpired, she liked to think she would have heard a giant-sized nin crashing through things. That theoretically ruled out Chouji.

So Shikamaru, Ino, Naruto and Sai were the regular Jounin who'd come to find her. Perhaps even Yamato or Kakashi had been there. Sakura felt her throat constrict. They had all come to rescue her only to find that she was as much a traitor as her captor. What had they all thought? She could imagine her poor sensei's reaction to loosing another student, even if he hadn't been at the resort. Someone must have told him, if she'd been declared a...Burying her head in her arms, the kunoichi didn't want to finish the thought. A whisper of fabric on flora made her freeze. Sasuke was awake.

Her shoulders felt tense as he moved toward her. When the quiet sound of his steps stopped, Sakura consciously worked to level her breathing. Resolve bolstered the courage beginning to catch inside her. She wanted answers, she was tired of scraping for half possibilities and probabilities. Lifting her head slowly, the kunoichi didn't turn to face the tall figure behind her as she started small, "How do you do it?" After a second, she detailed, "Be a nukenin, I mean. It's...like it doesn't even bother you."

A watery squish sounded as he shifted his weight on the soaked ground. Her heart skipped when the sounds of his footfalls began to dull rather than get louder. He was going to walk away from her rather than answer. There she was, on the nearly flooded ground in the middle of a foreign Country, asking a question that was instrumental to her mental and emotional well being and he completely ignored her. Disregarded her as if she didn't matter at all to him.

Sakura couldn't handle him any more. Her patience was gone. Without another word, she began to gather her supplies silently into her pack. She heard his movements arrest somewhere near the path they'd been following until they'd camped for the night. Bitter amusement rose in her thoughts. He thought she was going to follow him, even after the blatant disrespect he'd just paid her. Zipping her bag closed with more violence than was strictly necessary, Sakura stood. He had no idea who he was dealing with if he thought that.

With a single glance toward his dark, unaffected stance on the road heading north, the medical specialist began to stride defiantly south. She was almost over a gently sloping hill that would remove her from his sight when he spoke. A simple, condescending, "Sakura." She continued to walk, unaffected, in her own direction. At last she called, "I'm going home!" That must have struck a chord with the stoic man who had only just turned to follow her with his eyes. In a flash of movement he was in front of her. His dark eyes found her face as he muttered, "No. You aren't."

Hardening her features into something more resilient and imposing, she side stepped him. "I am. I'll speak to Tsunade-shishou and-" He moved into her path once more. "No." Stepping back and deciding to sacrifice a little chakra to prove a point, the pinkette swiftly utilized a body flicker technique. Finally free of his obstructing presence, she continued on her way. "She'll understand. She _knows_ I would never-" His voice sounded old when he cut in, "It doesn't work that way."

Something hot and raging boiled in her head when his words registered. Spinning to face the shinobi standing, facing off the side of the road with his head turned toward her, she hissed, "As if you'd know. You never even tried to come home!" Her voice cracked as she railed, "But I do! I want to go back! I can't be like you!" Threading her fingers into her short pink locks around her ears, she clutched them tightly. "I can't be aloof and cold and _dead_, Sasuke!" For a moment, the only sound in the palely lit field was her ragged breathing.

She was calm when she spoke again, though her voice was thick, "It bothers me every waking moment." Releasing the grip she'd held on her hair, she continued, "Knowing that I should be there. But I can't be." Sakura rung her hands as the sentiments floating in her overwhelmed mind began to pour out. "For a little while I thought maybe I could cope. I mean, I finally got to be with you." Laughing a little hoarsely, she reasoned, "That's what I'd always wanted, right?" Her eyes narrowed as she tried to find words. "Then we ran into those bandits. You..." she locked her eyes onto his. "You would have killed them without a second thought, wouldn't you?"

He was unrepentant as he stared back. "Yes."

Sakura nodded despite the sadness that came over her at the thought. She'd known his answer before she had ever asked. "That's why I can't stay, Sasuke." She shook her head, pale locks following limply in the moisture rich air. "I can't watch you kill a Leaf Ninja. And...if I stay, I know I'll have to. If we travel together, Hunters will come eventually. We'd make a double target." Curling her nervous hands together, she added, "Call me foolish, but I don't want to watch you ruin your chances to come--go, I mean, back...back to Konoha."

Something flickered over Sasuke's features when she spoke. He was silent, though, until she turned again to walk away. "You won't survive." His voice was chilly with certainty. It was fact. If she was unwilling to kill, she wouldn't make it as a nukenin. Not without him.

Her spine stiffened. The lull that had followed the emotional out pouring she'd just been through was evaporating like the mist around them as the sun rose higher in the sky. She was defensive, her voice tight as she replied, "Don't pretend to care, Sasuke. It doesn't suit you." Those words spoken, she began to move again. Sasuke's face, when he blinked into existence before her, was unlike anything she'd seen before. She didn't get the chance to analyze it further when her right hand was caught in a vice grip.

Words were at her lips, ready to demand to know what he was doing when he moved their hands, placing her palm on his chest. His eyes narrowed as he flared a little of his chakra into her hand, making hers rise defensively in response. Again, she was about to bark out a question when the aura against her own made her freeze. It was so weak. Her jaw went a little slack as she funneled energy into his body minutely, scouting. His usually electric, awe inspiring reserve was drained almost to the dregs.

She was left to stare disbelievingly into his onyx eyes. Her mind began to whirl. How had she missed it? It made so much sense. Their relatively slow pace of travel, his nearly listless behavior, the fact he'd slept over two hours longer than she had...It even explained his letting her handle the bandits without even a word of protest. What had he spent it all on? He had so much, it was impossible to think she'd missed the massive task he had faced.

Sasuke watched realization after realization crest on the petite female's face. He wondered if she realized she was clutching her slim fingers around his thumb, pressing their combined hands against his ribs. Flexing his larger palm until her smaller one was revealed, he made sure she was watching his movements with those apple green eyes of hers. Steadily, he let a minuscule amount of his chakra light his pointer finger.

Sakura felt her thought process shutter to a halt as a glove of bright blue energy ensconced the shinobi's rough hand. A nagging, disbelieving part of her was insisting that it could be a trick. There could have been a technique that looked like her healing one. It was silenced when his fingertip skated over a tiny abrasion between her first finger and thumb. It had been caused by the rustic bo she'd used the evening before, and her wide eyes watched it melt away with shock.

He could heal with chakra. His Sharingnan had copied the process. The corners of her eyes began to sting as her eyes opened further. He had done it! Not Ino. Sasuke had healed her. She wouldn't have thought that it was possible. His energy was so malevolent and raw...untamed. It must have cost him so much just to control it, let alone tend to her massive injuries. She felt her abdomen go numb with shock and a sense of vertigo overtake her limbs.

The Uchiha watched her eyes go round with quiet observance. He hadn't intended to tell her that he had been the one to save her. It simply wasn't in his character. If she wanted to assume that the Yamanaka girl had healed her, so be it. But when she had begun to stride away from him, looking so small under the weight of the double pack she wore...he couldn't stop himself. Sasuke knew he had to do something to make her stay. Or she would die. A clinical part of his mind insisted that he had invested too much effort and chakra into her to let her run off and be ended at the hand of some lowly Hunter ninja.

A scoff nearly escaped his proud lips at the thought. Even if she did make it to the Hidden Leaf Village without encountering Hunters, as unlikely as it was, she would only be apprehended and sentenced. Even her beloved Tsunade and _Naruto-kun_ couldn't save her then. He found himself voicing his thoughts. "You cannot return to Konoha." Sakura blinked at the change of subject. "You will be prosecuted."

Her pale brows drew down abruptly. "I realize, that's why I-" He just tightened his jaw, annoyed that she wasn't listening. "They have already held a trial. It's no use." Green eyes narrowed as she demanded, "How do you know that?" For a moment, Sasuke seemed to be caught slightly off guard. His glare flickered for an instant before his mask fell back into place. "It is fact."

Without allowing her to comment, he removed his hand from her grasp and backed away until her touch fell from his chest. His dark eyes were foreboding as he began to travel north once more. His baritone voice carried back to her on the wind. "I will keep us both alive." Both knew that she had no real choice but to follow.

* * *

"Suigetsu? Are you alright?"

Groaning and babying his busted left elbow, the Mist nukenin slowly raised himself from the floor where he'd been tossed. Juugo's deep voice had roused him from his hazy stupor. "Yeah, I'm good," he insisted, though his scratchy voice suggested anything but. His fog grey eyes narrowed in disgust as rusty blood stains began to dry and tighten everywhere on his pale skin. He laughed a hacking chuckle and told the man in the cell nearby, "They tried to cut me a deal."

The beserker sounded politely interested when he asked, "Oh? What were the terms?"

An airy sigh breezed from his bloodied lips as Suigetsu replied, "Not too much. Just kill Sasuke and haul his lady friend back to this dump for sentencing." Shrugging to himself he sarcastically quipped, "You know, no biggie."

A bit confused by his teammate's blase attitude and not catching the humor its delivery, the large shinobi questioned, "You...wouldn't actually do that, would you, Suigetsu?"

Sighing tiredly and ignoring the instinctive urge to roll his eyes at Juugo's seriousness, the Mist shinobi shook his head. For his friend's benefit, he replied verbally, "No, Juugo. I wouldn't."

For a moment, the Cursed man was silent. Then he conversationally said, "That's good." A scraping sound, like chains creaking whined in the empty halls as Juugo shifted in his cell. "I, um, don't think it would work out...if you tried."

A bark of laughter escaped Suigetsu as he let his battered body fall back to the stone floor. Wincing a little and regretting the motion when he began to ache, the silver haired shinobi just laid still for a moment. Finally, "Yeah. Probably not. They weren't happy about me saying 'no,' though. Of course."

The berserker was about to respond when the thud of the large door that led to their block echoed outside. Juugo's voice was lighter in mood when he said, "Miss Ren is coming!" Excitedly he told Suigetsu, "She's very nice. Like Sakura! You should talk to her, I think you'd-"

Without rising from his sprawled position, the Mist nukenin interrupted, "Is she the cow who served us food last time? The one who walks like she weighs two tons?"

Juugo sounded abashed as he gently reprimanded, "You, well...you shouldn't say things like that!" He dropped his voice to an emphatic whisper, "_She could hear you_."

A dry, feminine voice came from outside Suigetsu's cell. "Too late."

Smiling to himself and lifting his head marginally to see the figure standing outside the thick metal bars, the shinobi asked sweetly, "Is that you _Miss Ren_?"

The clatter of the metallic tray holding his food was his only answer. He grinned roguishly and reasoned to himself that even if the whole prison interrogation thing was a total drag...he still had someone to harass when he got chucked back into his cell.

* * *

**I'm baaaack! :D Sorry for the delay, life got crazy for a little bit. **

**ANOTHER FANART! It's from 'theredphantom' on deviantART (titled: 'Hate Me, Sakura?') and it's GORGEOUS! Go and check it out! **

**The next chapter might be out as early as tomorrow night, or Monday evening. Tuesday's the latest, hopefully.**

**Thanks for reading and please review!**


	18. Red Orange Part One

**Red Orange**

When he was young, Kakashi drove himself in pursuit of an impossible goal. Perfection. He got used to falling short when it counted and failing everyone around him. Repetition begot numbness when it came to emotional matters, after all. He couldn't remember when the dream began to fade. The whole thing had slipped away from him in the night, or so it seemed. It was time, though, that made him see what he was blind to in his youth. Life was in the imperfections: the little nonsense moments that made memories. He found the lesson he just couldn't seem to learn on his own in the wide eyes of three Genin. Having lives entrusted to you did funny things like that.

Countless hours of training to be something that no one could become were just a smudge of loneliness and solitude in his mind. But he could see the children of Team Seven in his mind's eye as clearly as his own face in the mirror. He remembered blue eyes and sky high hopes. He remembered a replica of his past with jet black hair. He remembered tears and innocence lost for the good of another. Sunny days spent on training fields and dynamics so complex that only children could achieve them, they were all stored away behind his jaded eyes. Amid bruised hearts and skinned knees, Kakashi had never felt more alive. More essential. But some habits died hard, and he'd found a way to fail them, too. Now, the old sensation of disconnected guilt was floating in his chest once again.

The official document in his hands told him that his only female student, and easily the most loving person he knew, was a traitor. He didn't attempt to stem the impulse that overtook his hands. The sensation of crushing the frail paper under his steady fingers didn't vindicate him as much as he'd hoped. It was ironic, he thought as he watched the ball fall from his grip to a standing puddle on the street, how easy it had been to destroy that representation of Sakura's sentence...when getting a repeal seemed so impossible. His grey eyes watched the once crisp lines of the paper become soggy and the ink begin to run.

"Kakashi-san." Even the voice of the Frog Hermit had a measure of wisdom in it. As he spoke the Jounin's name, his usually jovial tone was subdued, out of respect for the man's evident turmoil. When a slate grey eye slipped in his direction, Jiraiya uncrossed his arms and paced a little closer. "I take it the battle on the legal side of things isn't going well?" A solemn nod answered the obligatory question. "Tsunade and I have been considering a few alternative courses of action. You and I both know the high ground isn't as fair and just as it should be anymore." Heaving a sigh, the Sannin clapped the younger shinobi on the shoulder and pulled him into step along side him. "Come, let's find someplace to talk."

As the wizened pair strolled down the empty fringes of Konoha, Jiraiya turned to the man walking beside him. "The council will continue to nullify any attempts to reopen Sakura's case." Seeing Kakashi's shoulders stiffen almost imperceptibly, the hermit added consolingly, "But we...we believe there is another way." Sighing and lacing his fingers together meditatively, he began to explain. "The corruption of the Council goes unnoticed because of its disconnection with the citizens of this Village. What does a baker care if some ninja he's never met is accused of a crime he's never heard about? It's a sad condition, but an undeniable one as well." He raised a hand in the air, extending his pointer finger for emphasis. "But! If you make the baker and the smith and the housewife _take interest_ in the case..."

"Then the Council is subject to scrutiny from the public." Kakashi nodded as the plan began to lay itself out in his mind. "They'll be forced to at least hear our argument."

Jiraiya flashed a devilish smile. "And no one stones a hero." He turned his strong profile towards the sun that was beginning to break through the gloom and queried, "But how will we make a shinobi like Uchiha Sasuke a hero in the town he abandoned?"

The Jounin just tipped his head back to consider the sky, his hands fisted in his pockets. His voice was patiently confident when he spoke. "Sakura will do that for us. We just need to buy her time."

* * *

Sunset shades of ruby red and citrus orange were tinting the horizon when they reached a small civilian town called Chiasa. The relative warmth of the day had disappeared as the it waned and cooler temperatures were setting in. Sakura tugged her cloak more tightly around her frame as she followed Sasuke down the roughly paved main street. His straw hat was dangling between his shoulder blades, suspended by a length of string. The sight made the hardened shinobi seem so human that it drew her eyes almost hypnotically. At a glance, the Uchiha seemed nearly comparable to the other men bustling through the town at closing time.

A second look shattered any illusion that Sasuke was ever equatable with the non-ninja males moving around them, of course. There was something distinct about the way he simply moved. But as jade eyes noted the red, slightly irritated skin at the base of his throat, she allowed herself the fleeting thought. Thinking that maybe, just maybe Sasuke wasn't as far from her reach as he always seemed. A muscle in his neck jumped an instant before he turned minutely to address her. "We'll stay here."

Breaking eye contact, the pinkette studied the building before them. It was a single storey one, so small it seemed more like a house that rented rooms than a true establishment. But the quaint doorstep was well maintained and seemed to be leagues better than many she'd been forced to utilize in past missions. That thought bouncing in her mind, Sakura mounted the steps ahead of her companion, the bells that tinkled overhead as she opened the glass door faint in the evening air.

While Sasuke discussed payment with the elderly woman behind the whitewashed counter, the kunoichi absently inspected the frames that decorated the walls of the lobby. Traditional scenes of the pastoral countryside were interspersed with bold interpretations of samurai and shinobi. The even temperament that had settled over her disappeared as one of the prints caught her eye. A shinobi in shining armor that reminded her of the set that Chouji wore was facing off against a shadowy enemy. It was the dark figure's sinisterly slashed chest plate that gave her pause. Jagged, a single black brushstroke cleaved a symbol identical to the one worn so proudly on the bright shinobi's back. In stark ink in the free space at the upper edge of the piece, a title was penned: _Death of the Traitor_.

A less than subtle nudge to her lower back made Sakura start. Black eyes bored into her own before tracing her line of sight back to the painting. Sasuke's features didn't express much aside from a slight depression forming between his brows. Rather than speaking, he pressed the keys to their room into her hand. The cool metal and irregular edge in her palm gave the pinkette something else to focus on. Without another word, she turned and disappeared down the hall toward their quarters. The lean shinobi stood a moment longer, considering the artwork. The sunlight creeping in from the window in the front door poured onto the lower half of the scene, making the avenging man seem to glow even more purely. But a figure passing outside blocked the light momentarily and broke Sasuke from his reverie. Palming the shuriken he only faintly remembered drawing, the nukenin abruptly turned to follow Sakura.

Her pale hair seemed almost blonde in the warm lighting where she stood, unlocking their suite. She glanced quickly toward him before retreating into the room, leaving the door open for him to enter as well. He stepped inside a moment later to see her rapidly shedding her packs and cloak onto the bed nearest the window. She was just shucking her gloves off when he pushed the door firmly shut behind him. The click of the mechanism catching to hold the heavy wooden panel made her pause for a moment. Pale fingers with short, efficient nails worried the edge of one black glove before tugging it swiftly off.

Words that amounted to a shallow, patronizing consolation regarding the picture in the lobby began to form in his mouth. But Sakura's eyes were following the motions of her hands and she didn't see his throat begin to work or his lips part for a murmured word. Instead she spoke and saved him the trouble. "I'm going to shower." Rubbing her arms, she added, "I feel...filthy." The way she paused and rubbed her upper arms told him that it wasn't a night spent outdoors that made her feel that way. The real heart of the matter was framed and hanging neatly on a nail down the hall. The slight twang of sweat mixed with the general calm of her scent found his aristocratic nose as she hurried past him to the bathroom.

The dark eyed male stood until the fall of water in the room behind him inspired him to move. Pushing away from the chest of drawers he'd been leaned against, Sasuke dropped his pack near the head of the remaining bed. A faint clink from the settling bag made his eyes slip shut thoughtfully. The plush give of the mattress under his weight was hardly enjoyable with the themes dominating his methodical mind. His teammate and only current companion was unstable. Emotionally, at least. The slightest of events or objects had major effects on her psyche and it was going to prove to be a hindrance at one point or another.

Logic and reason unfurled in equal parts in his head. It made perfect sense to want to placate her, lest she become a liability in the near future. Flexing square, scarred hands, Sasuke digested what he was considering as thoroughly as he could. Another handful of pregnant moments crept by as he did, and the water had just stopped falling when he picked up his pack. The sudden lack of droning background noise nearly made him hesitate, but his agile fingers continued their path recklessly. They easily found a well concealed pouch on the interior and produced a ring of keys from its depths.

The metallic chime of them in Sasuke's hand corresponded with the bathroom sink's rushing as his partner continued to wash up. Folding his fingers over the little collection, he turned his dark eyes to the bed where she'd deposited her things. A smooth movement later and he was standing, dropping the ring onto her pillow and walking forward to meet her as she made to return to the bedroom. The steam that billowed through into the cooler air as she stepped out misted between the ninja as they stood still for a moment, each just short of passing through the frame.

Sakura stared up at the taller shinobi through moisture clumped lashes as he muttered, "I wanted to. But I couldn't." As he brushed past her, she almost thought the cryptic words were a figment of her overtaxed mind. Furrowing her brows, the medic turned to question Sasuke only to discover he'd already locked himself into the room she'd just vacated. She stood for a long moment, her still dripping locks leaving wet pools on the straps of her tank top. Eventually the wetness penetrated her thin shirt and began to drip uncomfortably down her arms. Frowning, the green eyed female adjusted her grip on the terrycloth fabric she was holding and resumed drying her hair.

She dropped her weight onto her bed with a sigh, dropping the dampened towel into a hamper as she passed it. Sakura set herself to the task of sorting her remaining supplies to rid her packs of excess weight and take advantage of their stay in civilization. Piling a small heap of dirty clothing onto the foot of the mattress, she was about to make a trip to the closest laundry mat when a strange sound caught her attention. She stood on her knees and began to feel for the keys she was sure she'd just heard. Her features were settling into one of annoyance as she berated herself for dropping the room keys into the mess she'd made when she found the culprit.

The last rays of light were filtering in through the open window to her left as she hoisted them from the tangle of clothing and rations. A flash of red and white made her heart skip a beat. There, dangling from the circlet holding a sparse number of keys, was an Uchiha emblem. Its enameled surface refracted the beams that hit it almost absurdly, making its already shiny surface seem radiant. Dropping them from their pinched position between her thumb and fore finger, Sakura let the ring fall into her palm. Sasuke's words repeated in her mind as she stared at the keys. He had always planned to return to Konoha, after all. The evidence was resting in her hands.

* * *

"Our attempts to persuade Prisoners 786 and 785 have been in vain." Councilwoman Karou's gravelly voice was thick with distaste. "They are either loyal or thick skulled." Settling her thin, veiny hands onto her lap, she commented, "Though I suspect the defector from Rain is simply masochistic."

An equally aged man with a snowy white beard hissed, "It is not so light a matter as to make pointless small talk, Madam."

A sharper quality, one that had not been present before, entered Karou's cloudy eyes. "You mistake my intent. I meant to imply that the other male, Prisoner 786, would be a more productive choice to pursue. His bizarre temperament may prove to our advantage, should the right course of action be taken." Leaning slightly forward toward the man who'd contradicted her, she acerbically added, "But perhaps my subtleties are _wasted_ on some."

The victim of her verbal barb was about to speak when another grizzled man broke into the spar. "Now is not the time for petty matters." Both Elders muttered agreements as the High Councilor continued, "The more likely candidate will be interrogated further. It is imperative that our plans continue to move along smoothly." Sliding dark eyes over the assembly, he spoke with finesse and elusive power. "It would be unsavory for the very thing we have toiled for to slip away from us so near victory." Murmurs broke out only to cease when the man rose his voice once more. "The shinobi, Juugo, will agree to our bargain or be disposed of. There is always the other male to fall back on. Even the most...hard headed can be broken."

Karou settled back into her heavily cushioned chair. "Agreed. I will see to it that he is thoroughly taken care of."

* * *

Night came quietly to the small camp just within the borders of Fire Country. Karin glanced surreptitiously to her guards, wondering at their strange interaction. They were an odd pair, so synchronized that they didn't really need to speak to coexist. It was...unnerving. The female had disappeared to set up a perimeter as Neji sat across from her, staring at her with the creepiest eyes she'd ever seen. Their pale color was catching the reds of the fire between them, making them glow eerily. The kunoichi turned her attention to her hands when she caught herself imagining that his dark hair was short and that the flickering red color of his irises was solid.

Staring off into the darkened underbrush, she wondered if caring for Sasuke as much as she did made her a bad person. Or was it that liking him had simply acted as a conduit for her to behave as she had? A single finger pressed her thick frames up the bridge of her nose. She wasn't sorry for what she'd done to the kunoichi from Leaf. Her code of conduct as a nukenin told her that getting a head no matter the cost was always the right course of action. The hesitant paid the ultimate price in the world she dealt in. Instead she was simply taking the quiet time to ponder, and perhaps distract herself.

She wanted Sasuke. That was the goal: to have him accept her as a romantic interest. A scowl found her face as she remembered how many times she'd tried and failed. But she was sure that he had begun to crack before they'd found Sakura. Sometimes when she argued with Suigetsu over something trivial, he'd stop and listen. He wouldn't stare, even if he was facing the two of them. If he was his eyes took on a particular sheen but never found her form. It wasn't much, but Karin would take what she could get. Then they'd stumbled into that stupid village and found the girl who made it all come unglued.

No, Karin decided, she wasn't the bad person for doing what she'd done to the Konoha medic. All was fair in love and war, as the cliche declared. Red eyes gleamed at the thought. Even if she couldn't physically take her rival from the running, she could undermine her very way of life. She could make her into something that wasn't so alluring to the Uchiha survivor. As she settled down for the night, she let the rationalization sink into her mind.

A swoosh and a light step signalled the kunoichi ANBU's return to the clearing. She recited a few numbers and distances to her companion, taking a seat beside him as he nodded. Her trailing scarf pooled in on the ground beside her, between she and Neji. Its silky texture brushed the shinobi's knuckles for a moment before he moved, his perfect eyes catching the slight wince of the girl beside him as he did. He pretended not to notice. Tenten simply unlaced the garment from her throat, quickly folding it into an acceptable square and dropping it on top of her nearby bedroll. She knew Neji, after all, and expected nothing less.

* * *

**End chapter.**

**Explanations for the colors will be up soon, as well as a preview of an upcoming series. I'll also be posting a new poll on my Bio soon, if any one's interested.**

**Two more weeks of classes and I'm out for the summer. Bear with me for a little while longer!**


	19. Red Orange Part Two

**Red Orange**

**Part Two**

A sharp smile spilled across Kisame's features as he considered the man walking to his right. Uchiha Itachi was an amusing individual, though rather or not he intended to be was a matter for debate. The man's outward appearance and general demeanor didn't hint to the fact, but Kisame liked to think that he knew things. Beady eyes trickled over his partner's dark profile as he thought.

The ex Mist-nin considered himself an observant man. He prided himself on it, actually. Kisame saw things that most shinobi did, he just was more apt to act on his observations than most. His crude jokes and insulting gall had a very practical purpose. What many dismissed as abysmal manners was actually a ploy. A plot to seek information with a dull, bawdy facade. And he liked it that way.

Most wrote him off for brawn. A brawler with few brains...and that was okay by him. It had resulted in a firm upper hand on more than one occasion. He had begun to consider Itachi as...surely not a friend, associations like the one he belonged to didn't afford things like that, but perhaps a true ally. Or at least a close acquaintance. Either way, he couldn't help but feel vaguely insulted by his partner's actions.

Itachi honestly didn't think he knew that they were headed for Konoha.

What Kisame couldn't decide, though, was rather the Uchiha honestly believed he was keeping his counterpart in the dark. Or perhaps he knew that the blue skinned shinobi had caught on and was counting on his reputation as a devout critic of Leaf Village to divert suspicion. It was all swirling into a cyclone of circling, pointless thoughts in Kisame's head. Another, more likely explanation occurred to the swordsman so starkly that it made him laugh.

He knew now. Itachi most knew that he had recognized the direction they were headed in, or perhaps hadn't...either way, the ex-Konoha shinobi just didn't give a damn. It was a gurgling laugh, like choppy waves on a craggy cliff face that shook from the shark man's enormous chest. Uchiha Itachi was very amusing, in his opinion.

* * *

Sasuke's hair was getting long. Sakura watched the lengthy spikes of his bangs as they slipped forward, casting his sharp features into relief. Even the ones that had always stood defiantly at his nape were beginning to droop. The early light pouring onto the wide open plain they were crossing caught on the dark formations of his hair, casting his features into a strange pale shadow. Glancing quickly away when his eyes slid her way, the kunoichi ran her fingers over the fabric of her right pocket.

A firm, jagged edge covered by the thin material of her shorts met her touch. Sasuke's keys. Her eyes wondered over the lush green grass around her as she let herself ponder. He'd kept them all this time. A frown rode her features, tucking her brows together as she wondered at the implications. People, especially ones like Sasuke, didn't usually keep things that they didn't: one, intend to use again or two, have emotional attachment to.

Feet finding the path without much thought, her toes wiggled a little as cool morning dew trickled onto them. Her left hand trailed beside her, skimming the tall blades of grass bordering the dirt road. She wondered deeply which made him keep something like what he'd shown her. Her breath hitched in nervousness. She knew a way she could find out.

Dark eyes watched as the shimmering drops caught her pale fingers, glossing them while she paced slowly forward. Sakura had been absentminded since he'd finally emerged from the shower after leaving the keys for her. It was as if the simple act had robbed her of her voice. Her continually odd behavior contradicted what he'd hoped would happen when he'd given her the key set. Sasuke had thought, however misguidedly, that they would eek a reaction from her. But she remained introverted and unlike the bubbly, impulsive girl he remembered.

He was about to stride forward to be relatively alone with his thoughts when her soft voice reached his ears. "Why did you keep them?" He looked toward her, unsure how to approach the question when she began again.

A wry smile touched her lips, "I suppose I know why. Habit?" She nodded to herself and considered the green horizon. "You must have just grabbed them...that night." Sakura breathed the damp air of early morning into her aching lungs as she admitted, "I used to tell myself that you'd...do what you needed to and come home. That-" Her brows drew together as she winced at the thought. "That we'd be a team again." She stopped speaking altogether when he stopped and turned to face her. Extending the keys toward him, she muttered, "I see that you don't want-or need us now."

Reactions and unvoiced responses boiled on Sasuke's tongue as he moved to jerk the keys away from the girl--woman--who was _nothing_ like the kunoichi he'd once known. His rough fingers grated over her almost smooth ones as he reached for his belongings. He was surprised when her grip tightened and her head tilted. When her bottle green eyes shone with faint victory and familiar intelligence, he knew he was dealing with the Sakura he remembered.

"But then why keep me from returning to Konoha?" Playing devil's advocate, she answered her own question. "I'll die." She stared Sasuke down as she wheedled, "But what would a man with no bonds care about a silly ex-teammate with a death wish? Oh, yes. You need someone to patch you up after your _destined battle_." The reverence she gave the last two words were more sarcastic than Sakura had aimed for, but she was on a roll. "There are more medics than me out there. So that argument's paper thin at best."

A scowl twisted the Uchiha's mouth as he released his grip on the keys and began to step back. Sakura was quick to catch his wrist and advance on him. She wasn't going to let him stoically avoid her rapid fire questioning. "Tell me what's going on, Sasuke." She narrowed her eyes as she demanded, "Or tell me you don't care and I'll be gone before you're finished." Her voice wavered as she bit out, "But do not treat me like an idiot _child_."

The strength of will behind her words made Sasuke stare. Her entire body was strung taut with tension and more emotion than he thought was possible for a single being. She'd reached her limit. Shock and sadness had abated and she was simply angry. Her words echoed in his head as he considered his options. Slowly. Carefully. In the end, he decided to dodge the entire line of questioning.

"I owe you nothing."

For a moment, the pinkette was eerily silent. At last, "Nothing?" Her voice edged toward hysteria as she parroted, "You owe me nothing?" Sasuke let her press a sharp forefinger into his chest as she hissed, "I'm a TRAITOR because of you. I gave up EVERYTHING I care for and love to be here with you. ALL OF IT!" Her tone dropped to a whisper, "And you owe me nothing?"

Sasuke just smirked coldly. "I didn't ask-"

Sakura cut him off viciously. "You didn't ask me to? Well you didn't leave me much choice did you? I was a captive! I didn't _decide_ to join your Team. Not like you _decided_ to leave ours. You **owe** me an explanation!"

His features shuttered closed, black eyes utterly blank at her accusation and its implications. Anger and another, sore feeling in his chest made him spit, "Leave. I don't care."

The kunoichi just laughed as he jerked away from her grip and turned his back. "I could believe that." Her face drained of mirth as she flung the keys still fisted in her hand at his heels. "But then why give me those? Why heal me? Why waste the majority of your chakra on someone you don't care about?"

She watched the line of his shoulders as he stiffened with each word. At her last question, he snapped. His features were a breath away from hers in an instant. Something was darkening his eyes until the word black didn't seem fit to describe them. All at once he was looming toward her, lips set firmly into a slash.

Sakura refused to be intimidated. Rather than back away, she stood as tall as she could and looked directly into his abyssal irises. She only just had time to frown as his broad frame suddenly slackened and his full weight crashed onto her. Instinct overrode shock as she hurriedly caught Sasuke's teetering body.

Medical knowledge fueled her flabbergasted limbs and mind as she settled her abrupt patient onto the ruddy path. Rolling him cautiously onto his side, she clicked on a penlight she'd habitually kept on her hip holster. A quick check of his vitals told her that he was alive, but running a startlingly high temperature.

As she pressed a cool hand to his burning brow, Sakura berated herself. Not only had she missed her opportunity to get a few answers, but she'd also botched her "reason" for travelling with him in the first place. Her sole ward was ill. Most likely not seriously, but enough to delay their travel.

Letting him fall back to lie flat on the path, she tried to decide the best way to go about carrying him. A headache began to form behind her eyes as she wondered just where she was going to take him when she did. Sakura sighed weightily as she grabbed his near arm and slung it over her shoulder. Lift first, plan later.

Another moment and he was braced satisfactorily against her left side. Fisting her hand into his shirt and inhaling deeply, Sakura began to evaluate. She needed to be able to work and he was going to be resting for at least a week. That meant civilization. Which left her two options: she could continue the way they'd been headed or turn back to the town they'd left only hours ago.

Staggering a bit as she tilted his weight strangely, the kunoichi shifted Sasuke and weighed the two alternatives. Logically, she knew for a solid fact that there was an inn in the village to her back. That also told her ninja instinct that their faces were known there. That, as a current...nuke-nin, she struggled to label herself, didn't bode well. Mentally, Sakura eliminated that option. She didn't feel like risking a confrontation while her ally was out of action.

A less than calm growl passed her lips as she set her green glare on the horizon. That left her the vague northern direction they'd been travelling in. Shit. So many possible cons and chaos theories ratcheted through her careful mind that Sakura could almost visualize the pain in her head as it intensified.

Mood darkening with each passing second, the pinkette swung her head to glower fruitlessly at Sasuke. As expected, her glare had little to no affect on the slumbering party. Instead her look slipped carelessly off of his aristocratic face, much as it did when he was awake. The last thought left a sour note on her tongue as Sakura turned steadfastly northward. She had a sick patient to take care of, and her integrity as a medic demanded that she care for him. With that value at heart, she began a slow, loping trek toward the unknown destination Sasuke had set them on a course for. It was going to be a long, long walk.

* * *

"Do you enjoy loosing control, Juugo?"

The beserker tried to filter the cloying voice from his head. Deep breathing, calm and tranquil thoughts--

"Does the thought of tearing things apart with your bare hands make you...happy?"

Something like a snarl and a whimper crossed as they slipped through his teeth. Every meditative exercise he had studied was drifting away from him. A bloody, cursed tide was rising inside him.

"All that power, just beneath your skin."

Black flowers bloomed on his eyelids as ghastly ink crept across his neck. Sin made tangible burned over his body as the beast inside him roared in all its hideous splendor.

"You could do as you pleased, go where ever you want."

A demon crawled into his brain and took the reigns with heady glee. Thick bile and salty blood filled his mouth as he bit and chewed his own tongue. Anything for a shred of control. Any pain for a slip of sanity.

"Why follow when you're so capable of leading?"

The curse cackled with glee as his ego shirked the idea of being controlled. Being used. Juugo felt his rational mind slip deep under the familiar madness. Colors and feelings and thoughts were bleeding into an ache in his head. Nothingness, release of control to the curse was so much simpler. So much _quieter_.

"You could be free."

Free. _Free_. **Free**. The simple sentiment rebounded and warped as it entered his consciousness. The curse shrieked with joy at the idea of shedding its human husk and screaming out into the world. To lay waste without the foolish host's inhibitions...an alien shudder racked the shinobi's colossal frame.

"Free, Juugo. No more chains."

The voice sounded so satisfied now. It was getting what it wanted. Was that what Juugo wanted? To please the voice? A faint whisper. No, it was a scream. Eyes, already shut tight, screwed up with concentration. A tiny voice, so distant it seemed faded with strain and urgency danced at the edge of his awareness. Taunting him. Warning him.

"No more cells. No restraints."

Freedom? No! He didn't want that. That was what the small voice was keening, pleading. He couldn't trust himself. Couldn't be trusted. Someone could be hurt. He couldn't be free! No!

"Don't fight this, Juugo! It's what you want!"

The voice, once so oily and self-satisfied, sounded strained and angered. It was pressing down on him from all sides, confining him like the chains and bonds he hated but needed. It was all becoming too much for his battered psyche as the beast in his chest clawed and fought his rational side with tooth and nail. A bellowing sound, half scream and half roar ripped from him as he threw himself side to side.

"Stop! Stop it, Juugo! Please!"

Smack. Thud. CRACK. Bones splintered and tissue tore and bruised. Blood flowed and sanity rushed into its place in his veins. If pain was what he needed to trade for a clear mind, he'd smash himself against the stones day and night. Anything to keep the demons in his body at bay. Anything.

"No, you're hurting yourself! Stop it!"

As something in his side ripped with a squelch, Juugo was startled by the change in the voice. It no longer sounded persuasive. Not even angry or domineering. The voice sounded almost concerned. Worried. Stilling momentarily, his hearing sharpened infinitely. He could hear a second voice, further away from the second.

"No! Don't you dare go--SHIT! You idiot, get out of there! Hey! You-"

Juugo frowned deeply. The tone was familiar, but somehow masked. All he could detect was a male intonation and fear. Fear, not of him or the beast, but for someone else.

"Juugo, are you alright? You scared-"

The concerned one returned, this time much closer to him. **Within reach**. He hardly had time to gasp as the curse tore from its confines and assumed control once more. All at once shadows constricted his thoughts as his eyes rolled back further in his skull. Disjointedly, he felt something in his hands. Living, but not for long. Thin bones, so light they were like a bird's were clutched between his killing fingers. A scream skated along his nerves on razor edges dragging broken glass and barbed wire. He felt an answering growl start somewhere near his toes and end in a hot breath on his prey's face.

"Gods damn it! JUUGO! Listen to ME! You're hurting her! **YOU'RE GOING TO KILL REN**!"

An electric pulse jolted through his system like a dose of adrenaline. Breathing harshly, Juugo threw himself backward, away from the thing--no, girl--in his grip. His head hit something unyielding with blessed force. Enough to submerge him in silent, thoughtless darkness.

Suigetsu watched his teammate sink to the floor in relief. His misty eyes found the willowy figure of their attendant, Ren, lying crumpled on the concrete only meters away. Sour fear bit at his insides as he called, "Are you stupid, girl? Get the hell out of that cell!"

For a moment, he remained frozen, arm extended painfully through the thick metal bars of his own cell. He could feel the bruises beginning to paint his chest where it had been smashed against unforgiving, solid steel in the futile hope he could tug the foolish girl back from what he was sure would be her death.

When Ren sat up, slowly and shakily, Suigetsu hazarded a breath at last. Her strange, large eyes found his with awe. She too had thought she'd found her end at Juugo's unstable hand. He watched as she scurried backward in an awkward crab crawl, slamming the door with her foot as soon as she was clear of its track. The Mist nin stared, relieved and disgusted at the little kitchen girl who'd just stared death in the face.

She watched the remaining prisoner guardedly as he stared her down. Her nerves were so frayed that when he finally spoke, she jumped for fright. It only seemed to encourage him, as he hissed, "Are you a fucking fool? I told you not to go into his cell! I TOLD YOU!"

Ren started again when the lean male slammed a fist against the metal that kept them apart. "He's not a gods damned teddy bear for you to get attached to! He's barely a PERSON!" Sharp teeth were bared at the tears that wet her once proud face. "Get out of my sight."

Brushing his pale hair away from his face with shaking hands, Suigetsu settled into his favored corner. The stiff, solid concrete felt refreshingly normal juxtaposed with his shattered nerves. Staring down at the fine tremor of his fingers, he wondered just what he was going to do. Things in the bowels of Konoha's prison were getting steadily more and more unstable. It was obvious that the Elders of the village had swung their focus to his teammate.

Silvery eyes found the broken profile of the beserker in the cell nearby. He hadn't see Juugo rage so badly in...well, ever. There had to have been a mind trick involved. A heavy sigh faded into an exhausted yawn. Suigetsu felt his hold on his situation crumbling away between his fingers. Something had to be done. A plan had to be made.

* * *

SUMMER! Yes! I'm finally free. Free to write, that is! :D You'll be seeing more from me soon, you can count on that! I have a million or so drabbles lined up and the first installment of 'Broken Souls' on deck for posting sometime in the near future.

Thanks for being faithful readers, and pretty please review!


	20. Red Violet Part One

**Red Violet**

**Part One**

Sakura's feet tapped faintly as she paced across the pale bamboo floor. The smooth lacquer was absorbing the chill of the early morning, but it was more reassuring than foreboding. Her green eyes flitted over the rented suite and wondered why this place felt so comforting. Perhaps it was because it was not a motel establishment in the truest sense of the term. It was more of a privately owned inn that encompassed several small, one-storey homes. It was no where near as opulent as the villas they'd occupied in the Kirikagure, but that was more than alright by her. Instead, it was simple and clean lined. That felt like what Sakura needed right now, anyway.

Sliding back a well kept shouji, the kunoichi found her patient lying prone on the traditional futon within. Sasuke, she decided, looked heartbreakingly tragic no matter what state he was in. Something about the arrangement of his features called out to her heartstrings and had for many years. Now it was the faint flush in his high cheekbones and the sweat beading his brow as fever took its toll, but originally it had been something far less apparent. Dismissing the musings for a later point in time, Sakura knelt by her teammate and arranged the supplies she'd brought in onto the wooden floor. She quietly dipped the fresh towels into a basin of water and carefully wrung out the excess moisture. Her hands deftly folded the linen into an acceptable square without much thought. She had repeated the motion countless times in her time spent at Konoha's hospital. The care she took as she laid the wet cloth onto her patient's brow, however, was somehow different. His restless shifting beneath her touch would have been surprising, but he'd been displaying the behavior for the past four days. Of the six days he'd been unconscious, he'd been fighting for the majority. He was never really at rest, it seemed.

She seemed to catch herself and jerked her hand away from where it had hovered. Moving on to other matters, the medical ninja sat back on her heels and inhaled deeply. It took her only moments to center herself, but for Sakura, a chakra control specialist, any delay seemed like a lifetime. Banishing the errant thoughts from her head, the pinkette smiled a little at last when the warm glow of her energy collected in her palms. Her eyelids flickered open and she rearranged her legs so that she was sitting alongside Sasuke as she placed her shining hands onto his chest. Eyes slipping shut once more in concentration, she went about her routine checks. When she'd assured herself that everything was proceeding nicely, Sakura withdrew her hands and stood.

A few steps and she was sliding the door shut once more, arms drawing behind her back as she tilted her head to rest on the jam. She wasn't sure why, but checking on Sasuke every day seemed to take something out of her. Shaking her head and pushing away from the wall, Sakura wondered into the main room of the suite. The tall window at the north face of the room was letting pre-dawn light trickle in and illuminate the smooth floorboards. A golden string was just beginning to paint the horizon and the urge to sit and watch the sun rise made itself known in her mind. Moments later, she was sitting calmly on the edge of the front porch, staring into the start of the day. More calm than she could remember feeling since she began travelling with Sasuke trickled into her body, and for a moment Sakura was content.

Steadily, more colors joined the little sunburst as it climbed over the trees, heralding. Sakura wasn't sure what to do with the peaceful feeling she was experiencing but her legs found a meditative position. Having no better inclination, she rested her hands on her knees and let her thoughts wonder. It wasn't strictly the clear mindset she usually practiced for this sort of exercise, but clearing her mind had been difficult as of late...and perhaps, she hoped, sorting as many of the worries as she could would relieve it. The first problem that rose in her mind was the one that brought her to this little town in the first place. Sasuke, in his infinite wisdom had seen fit to not only drain his chakra supply to the dregs, but to also continue to forge ahead despite it. That last flash step he'd attempted had drawn on the final shreds of his innate energy and had put him out of commission.

His well practiced facade and her own rioting emotions had kept her from realizing until he'd attempted the impossible and knocked himself into a sort of coma. Not that she would have been able to do much, had she known sooner. As a medical ninja, she dealt with ailments of the flesh. The only real treatment for chakra exhaustion was rest, any call for which Sasuke would have ignored. Not that it stopped Sakura from feeling horrible. Or feeling like a total failure. She distantly felt her nails dig into her bare knees as they fisted with frustration. If only she had noticed, she tried to reason. But she had! He'd slept in, let her battle the bandits...hell, he'd even shown her that his reserve was dangerously low!

And yet she'd decided to selfishly push her case. She'd felt that she had to know why she'd been chosen above all other medical nin at the cost of making herself out to be a poor one. Her eyes screwed shut more firmly. She was acting like the little child he'd abandoned when he walked out of Konoha. All of her old traits, the ones she'd worked oh so hard to destroy and root out, were falling back into place. A stray breeze blew across the porch and she felt her growing locks brush the backs of her shoulders. An unhappy laugh caught in her chest. She'd even forgot to shorten her hair. She never forgot to keep the locks above her shoulders, not since that fateful day in the Forest of Death. Not since she'd grown up.

It was the last straw as she came to the conclusion she'd been dreading. She was becoming the little girl she'd tried so had to escape. The wood she was gripping creaked beneath her hands as she fought for calm. But what was she supposed to do? Supposed to act like? She'd been banished from her home! She was travelling with the boy--no man--who she'd never quiet fallen out of love with and he was so heartbreakingly _everything_ and yet _nothing_ like what she remembered. A solid lump rose in her throat as she felt her henge flicker and emotions roil through her body. As her tumultuous thoughts crested and began to settle, she decided that _something had to give_.

She didn't know what she needed to hear from Sasuke, or what exactly she'd been trying for when she'd grilled him about a minor issue in hopes of finding something deeper...but Sakura knew it had to be soon in coming. She was falling apart. And hundreds of miles from home with a incapacitated Sasuke, there was no one to put her back together again should it happen.

Hours passed as the foreign, brown haired woman sat tensely on the deck of one of the ritziest inns in town. Her curious hair, which flickered from tame chestnut to exotic pink when she was sure no one was looking, caught the unwanted attention of several local boys. Their dirt smudged faces peered up at her slender form where it sat stock still with more than a little interest fuelled leering. The oldest among them, Ranke, declared that she was a witch or at least a kunoichi and therefore was fair game for any harassment they could cook up. Ninja and other freaks of nature weren't welcome in their rural community. That's what his father always said.

Sakura decided, as she squinted at the sun to check its position, that she had been sitting on the porch for at least four hours when she finally shook herself out of her daze. A tightness in the skin that covered the bridge of her nose told her that a sunburn was developing there. She considered simply healing it, but decided to conserve the chakra. As uneventful as her near week stay in this village had been, travelling as a ninja disloyal to their home Village meant that things never stayed uneventful for long. She bunched her muscles and began to stand when she heard a rustle in the bushes to her left. Without so much as blinking, she caught the fist sized rock that had been pelted at her. Tracing the chorus of gasps back to a group of poorly concealed boys, she made sure they were watching as she crushed the stone in her hand into dust.

A raise of her eyebrow inspired the gaggle to make a break for it. Dust kicked up by their bare feet told her that they were dashing back toward town. Narrowing her eyes, Sakura wondered if she'd just stirred up the trouble she'd been anticipating. Rather than dwell on it, she turned to go inside. She could deal with a few delinquents if it came down to it. Once she'd pulled the door home behind her, the kunoichi made her way to the small kitchen. The simple ingredients she'd picked up at the local market were running a little low, but as she went to work slicing the vegetables, she knew she had enough to make it through at least lunch. Dicing absently and much more efficiently than a simple chef, Sakura estimated that she'd have time to visit town before nightfall if she served lunch a little early. As she turned away from the cutting board, tossing the knife to stand jammed in the block, she fired up the range to her left.

She doubted that her patient would mind, he never acknowledged the broth she'd been feeding him faithfully, anyway. Sakura became a blur of motion as she set Sasuke's broth on to heat, dropped her own vegetables into a hot bath and started a small list of things she'd need for the remainder of their stay as well as the road. She anticipated that her partner would be up and moving anytime now. In fact, she was fairly certain that he'd woken from his 'coma' the night before. She was nearly positive she'd heard movement, but her thorough check had revealed nothing but a slight shortage in the number tomatoes she'd thought were left. Flicking a bit more seasoning than she'd intended into her own meal, she frowned. If he was awake, it meant that at least he could feed himself.

Sakura decided that she'd set out the last tomato she'd bought with the broth and leave him to his own devices while she restocked their supplies. She seriously doubted that he'd appreciate her assistance if he woke again in the middle of mealtime. And if the food wasn't gone when she came back, she'd do as she had been. No harm done. Brushing her hands on her pants, she nodded to herself. It seemed like she had a plan. A low gurgle brought her back to what she was doing. The stock she'd set on for her patient was just begining to steam and bubble slowly. She was reaching into one of the sparcely furbished cabinets when the something sailed through the front window.

The corresponding shatter of glass and nerve wracking thunk as it smacked into the floor almost made the unprepared Sakura jump. Her heart raced as she wondered if it was a oinin. Another resounding crash jolted her into motion. The knife she'd been cooking with was sliding into her palm even as she spun to stride into her temporary living room. Her eyes were slits of nervous energy and anticipation as she slid her bare feet soundlessly over the smooth boards. The civilian weapon in her grip was unevenly weighted and strange but it was the best she had at her disposal and she could make do. As she emerged from the galley kitchen, her well trained gaze took in the stones lying guiltily against the wall she'd been standing behind and the ruined windows. It certainly didn't look like a hunter's handiwork. In fact, it looked like the punks she'd scared off earlier had come back for another demonstration of her monsterous stregth.

She was fairly quaking with fury and ready to stomp outside when a soft grunt sent her spinning to face the hall that lead to the bedrooms. A haggard Sasuke was propped there, staring at the former projectiles with no small amount of annoyance. The noise must have roused him. Grim lines around his slanted glare and firm lips told her he was less than happy about that. Before she could speak, he was striding a little sluggishly toward the front door. She was a millisecond from bolting after him when a boiling hiss from the kitchen met her ears. Shit! Her things were boiling over.

Growling to herself about her rotten timing, she jogged toward the stove as she shouted to Sasuke, "They're civilian children! Don't-" The sight that met her in the kitchen made her pause and curse once again. Both dishes were overheating. Spinning the dials back to zero and bunching her shirt over her hand as a makeshift heat pad, she deftly moved the pots off of the flames. As quick as the task was finished, she was bounding from the house. Pausing with her hands braced on the doorframe and letting her body list forward, Sakura studied the scene. She found Sasuke standing at the foot of the steps, facing what looked to be a gang of teens and older children. His posture was so nonchalant it must have seemed offensive to the boys, but to Sakura it looked like her teammate was bone tired.

To avoid a slouch, he was tilted backward with his chin at a haughty angle, black eyes barreling down an aristocratic nose. His left elbow was tucked where his open shirt met his lowly slung hakamas, his unbandaged wrist displaying the summoning tattoos there. A slight tightening of his shoulders told her that he'd noticed her arrival. Despite that, his right hand remained listless at his side, no where near the handle of his only visable weapon. The kusanagi.

For a long moment, it seemed that the ringleader of the young gang was unsure of how to take the barefoot samurai before him. At length, he crossed his arms and tilted his chin to mirror Sasuke's. "I'm Range. This is my town. And you and your witch aren't welcome here."

At the teen's moniker for her, Sasuke looked her way at last. Meeting her partner's faintly curious gaze, she let the henge disguising her hair flicker before releasing it completely. The action seemed to satisfy the shinobi, who turned to face his opponent once more. Activating his Sharingnan and letting the action unsettle the boys, he rasped, "You know how to use that?"

Range blinked his now wide eyes, glancing down to the crude broad sword strapped to his hip. Standing tall as he physically could, the young man nodded solidly.

The dark clad swoardsman kept a blank expression, aside from a raised brow. For a beat there was complete silence. Then the tense air exploded as Sasuke simply _moved_ with godly speed. Sakura hardly had time to shout and was only halfway off the porch when her teammate lapsed into repose once more. In a movement too quick for the gathered boys, the shinobi had shrugged his top from his shoulders until it hung about his hips. But even Sakura had only seen the blur of his draw. With her trained eye, it still seemed as though the blade had jumped form its scabbard and into Sasuke's hand with a will of its won.

Sakura had only just noticed the faint trace of blood on the seal at his wrist when a few shocked inhales and the scuffle of feet made her look up. Dread filled her stomach as she feared what Sasuke might have done. A metallic _shink_ rang out as the oldest boy's weapon clattered into the dirt. A shuriken was half buried in the dirt next to the fallen sword. Sakura brought a hand to her lips. Even she hadn't seen that. Green eyes roaved over the boy anciously, worried of what her teammate might have done. He looked, for all intents and purposes, completely unharmed. Though the beads of sweat rolling down his ashen face and widely gaping mouth pointed toward shellshock. A hand fisted in her longish locks as Sakura tugged her hair in relief.

Sasuke turned to lope back into the rented house, only pausing to call over his shoulder, "Leave."

It was as if the single uttered word broke the spell as all but the two oldest boys scattered into the forest toward town. The remaining pair consisted of the frozen Range and a boy who looked to be his brother. The younger of the two was tugging the still boy's clothing and prodding him to move. Sympathy rose in Sakura's chest as she took note of the boy's symptoms. Frowning as Sasuke brushed past her on his way inside, she advised, "He may be in slight shock." When the relatively healthy boy jumped, the pinkette winced. "Um, just take him in out of the heat make him rest and try not to let him eat or drink until he's gotten a little color back in his face, alright?" At the boys reluctant nod, she too turned back toward the rented house.

She watched from the shattered window as the boys stumbled back toward the road. Once they were gone, she headed for the kitchen, planning to reheat her nearly ruined meal. She stopped short in the doorway when she found Sasuke sitting, elbows braced on the small table by the stove. Forcing herself to continue, she went about warming and plating their lunches. Since he seemed strong enough to frighten local children, Sakura slipped a few vegetables onto a plate for Sasuke. He ought to be able to stomach some solids. When she laid the plates onto the grainy surface of the tiny table, she ventured, "You're feeling better." It came out less like a question than she had intended.

Sasuke simply pulled his plate toward him and nodded shallowly. They ate in nearly complete silence, aside from the sounds of utensils, until he declared, "We're leaving in the morning."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and reached slowly toward his unoccupied hand. When he studied her movements closely, but made no move to stop her or pull away, she grasped it. Pushing a bit of her energy into his system, she replied, "You're hardly at half strength. I--"

Before she could finish, he stood, letting his spoon fall into his empty bowl and stepping away from the table. He watched her pull her hand back to her chest as he intoned simply, "Pack."

Sakura didn't push the issue. Instead, she gathered the silverware and assorted plates and bowls. Piling them inside the sink, she spoke quietly as she twisted the taps. "You didn't hurt him." She could almost hear his frown as he paused nearly clear of the room. A wrinkle formed on her brow, as she tried to specify, "You didn't kill him." Sakura wasn't sure she was making sense even to herself now, but a lightened sensation in her chest made her heart skip a beat. Maybe this was the question she needed answered. But Sasuke was silent so long that she was sure he'd walked away. Her hands had solemnly begun their task when his low baritone floated back from the doorway.

"No." He began to move again, his next words so faint Sakura had to strain to hear them. "I never do."

**End Chapter 20 of Color Theory, dedicated to Samurai-PET.**

**The next chapters will be sooner in coming, the long wait for this chapter has been explained on my LJ page for those who are interested. Also, a planned layout of release dates for the release of stories after the completion of CT will be posted, including the upcoming Broken Souls collection and the announcement of my Original Fiction story.**

**Thanks for reading and please review. **


	21. Red Violet Part Two

**Red Violet **

**Part Two**

Tenten was angry. Neji knew this without question. It was evident to his Byakugan eyes in the way she so much as shifted her weight. Her long, red scarf billowed behind her leaping form like an agitated, feline tail. Occasionally he would catch the metallic glimmer of a senbon as it flitted between her restless fingers, never once interfering with her forward movement. Before they had broken camp, her normally fluid movements were jerky and tense with repressed emotion. It had been telling, Neji decided, watching her comb her long chestnut hair into a single, strict bun. Tenten had used such force in securing the style that her partner half suspected she might tear the silken ribbon that she used to hold it in place. Nevertheless, she hadn't and they had moved out with their charge between them, headed for the border of Fire Country.

Neji blinked slowly, reflecting on what he'd done to earn the treatment Tenten was quietly exacting. He'd reacted without thinking, instinctively, to her touch and she'd misinterpreted it. Her fiery trail of silk fluttered past him an instant before its owner alighted on the branch he'd aimed for, causing the Hyuuga to falter. It wasn't visible, of course, but it was the principal of the action that made him frown minisculely. She was trying to make him angry. All-seeing eyes narrowed for an instant in thought before both ANBU stilled eerily.

Karin, whose mind was sluggish with the repetitiveness of their travel, hardly noticed the change before she was accosted and tugged harshly to the forest floor. The broad back of the larger of the two elite-nin was impassive to her red eyed glare. A faint, female voice floated down from above before Karin could comment on her treatment. "Two, similar signatures. One static, one in motion." A rustle of leaves and the svelte form of the Leaf kunoichi was standing beside her partner. Her bone white mask remained trained in the direction of their home Village as she summarized, "Both in Konoha's vicinity."

Neji's blood-limit was active and he watched the subtle emotions playing through Tenten as she recounted information he had already gathered. He knew what she was trying to do, but he wasn't going to give her the opportunity to press her hand. "Well advised. A message will be sent to-"

Tenten didn't let him finish his order. "You and I both know it wouldn't arrive in time." The shorter ninja balanced her weight by widening her stance, as though preparing to trade blows rather than words. She knew that arguments with her superior were easily comparable to any physical battle. "I propose that we intercept the intruders en route, that will provide the missive enough time to fall into the necessary hands."

"Unacceptable." His smooth features didn't show any outward reaction to her proposition, aside from a slight tightening around his pale eyes. Neji responded only by beginning the seals for an encryption jutsu with a scroll from his hip pocket in hand. Ink crept over the blank parchment like skittering ants for an instant before drying in a strange whirl of symbols and code. Tenten held the stare that her partner had fixed on her until he looked skyward in search of the carrier hawk he'd summoned. A quiet whisper and the shinobi was in the canopy, sending the warning that she felt would come too late.

Fire stirred in her chest at the thought of leaving her home unprotected for the sake of mission protocol. Thoughtlessly tossing the senbon in her grip in an act of frustration, Tenten was brought back to herself by a startled step nearby. The red-head she'd been assigned to escort was staring at the needle-like weapon where it was embedded in a knot of wood, ten yards off on the opposite side of the clearing. A plan began to form in the back of the kunoichi's mind as she approached her prisoner.

Garnet eyes met the dark ones peering through a porcelain facade quizzically. Tenten disregarded the look as she heard the cry of a large bird somewhere above. She was running out of time. Advancing until she was physically standing over the shorter woman, the ANBU spoke a single word: "Run."

The clink of metal met the missing-nin's ears as a spent summoning scroll fluttered to the ground. In the faint light falling through the trees around them, an impressive number of weapons had appeared in the taller kunoichi's grasp and were glittering wickedly. A pair of shuriken thudded into the earth only scant millimeters from the tips of Karin's sandals as she hesitated. Leaping back out of ingrained habit, Karin risked one last look at the threatening female before spinning on her heel and fleeing. A slow smile found Tenten's face even as her stomach twisted with faint regret.

Neji landed with more sound than was typical for him just as the Leaf kunoichi bolted in the direction of the signatures. An angry line formed between his brows as he prepared his chakra to pursue his AWOL partner. A cursory scan with his Byakugan eyes stopped him cold. His knuckles cracked with strain as he assessed the situation. He had been left two options: allow Tenten to take her foolish course of action or fail his current mission. A low sound tumbled from his lips as he pumped chakra into his soles and sped toward his escaping prisoner. _For the time being._

A large hand whipped out to collect two abandoned shuriken as he passed. Neji's colorless irises were alive with emotion as he disappeared in the opposite direction of Tenten. He was going to reacquire his current ward and then his partner was going to have an angry captain to answer to. His hands moved to store the twin bladed disks even as his mind worked tortuously. He could only will himself to believe that his ire was the worst that fate had in store for the rebellious kunoichi.

* * *

It was nearly noon when Sakura found herself in an achingly familiar position. She stood in the small restroom attached to her quarters, kunai in hand. Her wide green eyes watched as she gathered the too-long hairs at her nape and slowly worker her hand down. Once she felt comfortable with the length, the kunoichi raised the dagger to sit parallel with her fisted hand and began to slide the edge against the strands.

Stray pieces of coral littered the basin below as she worked and moments later, she dumped the mass of what she'd shorn into the waste basket at her feet. Turning her head this way and that to get a look at her shortened locks as she rinsed the lingering strands from between her fingers, Sakura carefully swept what remained of her impromptu trim down the drain. Studying the fall of her hair one last time, she decided it was a bit uneven compared to how she generally kept it...but it would do. One task completed, her mind wandered, noting things she still needed to do to be ready to leave by nightfall.

Once she'd dried her hands and run her fingers through her hair experimentally, Sakura stepped back into her bedroom. Striding over to where her pack set half empty on the sleeping mat, she began to arrange her supplies. Her medical bag was still relatively well stocked, since she'd only really been tending Sasuke and his injury had been mostly treated with rest and care. The bag that housed her personal things was another matter entirely. The Uchiha had seen fit to pack only what had been on hand when he fled the resort in River Country, and that had included precious little of the sparse possessions she'd had when she'd 'joined' his team.

Her scrolls, inking set and assorted weapons fell easily into their assigned compartments. The organization of those items only left the largest, central storage of the bag that much more noticeable. Piling her undergarments off to once side and laying out the rest of her wardrobe thoughtfully, Sakura mentally calculated her funds. Her emerald gaze traced over her last vest and a pair of shorts she didn't remember owning previously, she came to a decision. She stood and gathered the shirt Sasuke had draped over her while she was injured, then turned and left the room. Taking an immediate left as soon as she stepped into the hall, Sakura paced toward the remaining bedroom.

After knocking and awaiting a response, she listened and heard the sound of a shower running within. She eyed the grain of the paper before her speculatively for a moment before testing to see if it was locked. When the panel slid open without resistance, she let herself inside and marched quickly toward the futon. The dark pack laid fully prepared next to a single set of clean clothing and tall shinobi sandals. Blinking at the characteristic neatness that she should have expected, the pinkette stood for a moment, unsure of her next action.

Sasuke was surely aware of her presence. Leaving now would only seem conspicuous, but his tidiness made her feel a little foolish and tardy. Frowning at the suddenly self-abusive line of reasoning, Sakura let the neatly folded shirt in her grasp drop atop the pack without further thought. She took a deep breath through her nose and left the room as quietly as she'd come.

Moments later, the kunoichi was walking down the small town's main street and searching for a place that might sell anything close to the clothing she required. Brushing an absent hand through her bobbed locks, she reasoned that the general direction they were travelling in was getting steadily more in climate. If their destination was Earth Country, than she needed to be prepared for smoldering days and frigid nights. So that meant her cloak would offer decent protection if she could find a thin, sleeved shirt...and she still had a vest. Her thoughts continued to circle even as she finally found a promising storefront and disappeared inside.

* * *

Kisami sighed as he splashed heavily from branch to branch, virtually broadcasting his position to the ninja population of the world at large. His water clone had been destroyed several minutes ago, which meant one of the Leaf dunces had finally caught onto his presence and decided to do something about it. What little information his diversion had recorded before being snuffed out was promising. Whatever nin was pursuing him looked like a promising fight. He hadn't so much as sensed a chakra presence before a large pike was driven through his doppelganger's forehead.

A jagged grin spilled onto his strange visage at that thought. A weapons user, as he assumed his opponent to be, was a refreshing change. Kisame was thoroughly sick of hacking away and siphoning chakra from Genjutsu and Ninjutsu specialists. A high pitched whistle met his admittedly poor hearing and he calmly dropped into the area he'd scouted out previously. Everything was working like a charm.

Hefting Samehada to the ready position at his shoulder, Kisami waited. Without so much as blinking his round, fishy eyes, he flexed. The large blade on his shoulder responded by dropping an inch and deflecting the deadly rain of poison senbon that had been aimed for his throat. When no chakra was absorbed by the ever greedy sword, Kisame smiled wider. It would be a good fight, indeed.

A split second later, twin pikes roared from the forest, each from opposing directions. Dropping into a crouch, the nuke-nin swung his massive blade in a tight arc, driving each to embed themselves into the soft soil near his feet. Axes came next, four this time. Two large, broad headed ones streaked in from above while another pair twirled end over end from the same origin as the pikes. Kisame simply pumped chakra into his long legs and cleared the attack entirely. Sky blue energy trickled up from below as Samehada drank in the remnants of the third volley against its master.

Circular eyes darkened. Chakra already? Landing atop one of the pikes' handles with strange ease for a man of his size, the Akatsuki member scowled. Maybe Konoha _had_ sent a novice after all. The creak of chains an instant later nearly made the man-shark eat his unvoiced words. Two thick strands of linked steel twisted up from the pile of weaponry he'd assumed was useless and spent, attempting to wrestle his large sword from his grasp. Laughing aloud at the cleaver trick, Kisame agilely maneuvered Samehada to jam one of the chains to the forest floor.

As his free hand clamped onto the remaining strand, he called out, "Here little birdy!" Another gale of bawdy laughter rumbled from the ninja's massive chest as he tugged hard at the chain in his grasp. He was surprised to find not the weapons' specialist, but a mace at the end of its length. Dancing back from the spiked ball that he'd unwittingly flung toward himself, the former Mist swordsman began his search for his enemy in earnest. His hands began a strand of seals, finishing in a form that he rose toward his face.

He had readied a breath, preparing to unleash the technique he'd begun when an insistent ticking caught his attention. A curse rebounded in his mind as he caught sight of the 'mace' he'd discarded earlier. One of its spikes was rapidly burning away with the tell tale hiss of an explosive tag. In an improvised attempt to amend his mistake, he completed the jutsu he'd begun, blowing mightily through the final seal his fingers had formed. Water gushed forth, washing the mine away from his position but not halting its detonation.

A gurgling boom sounded seconds later as the explosive discharged, sending a wave of water back toward its creator. Kisame lifted Samehada and rode the momentum into the surrounding woodland, surfing through the natural basin he'd chosen earlier in preparation for the fight. As his element rolled over his monumental frame, the nuke-nin reviewed what he'd learned from this first little skirmish. The Leaf dunce obviously knew what they were up against, perhaps he'd even fought the ninja before. That shortened the list significantly. There were very few Konoha defenders who had faced him and survived the honor.

The green fool came immediately to mind but was just as quickly dismissed. His style was overwhelmingly Taijutsu based and he'd yet to even see his opponent in this battle. That left his useless students. Quick mental math told Kisame that they would easily be of Jounin age currently. He vaguely remembered a kunoichi and a mine of a lower caliber than the disguised one that had just caught him off-guard. Some of his cockiness returned, soothing his bruised pride. At least now he had a profile to work with, as sketchy as it was.

A disturbance in the current beneath his feet diverted Kisame's train of thought. Dropping to rest his palm against the surface of his self-created lake, the shinobi released a bit of his stored energy. As he probed speculatively, Kisame dipped his blade beneath the still waters, hoping to get a quicker reading. Samehada's dull edge clanked against something a nanosecond before the pool ahead of him erupted. He'd just been herded into a mine field! Curling into a tight ball instinctively, the missing nin felt his large blade sail away from him as the harsh wind resistance of his falling body worked against him.

Forcing one eye open against the whipping air around him, Kisame watched his beloved sword splash down several yards away and sink quickly from view. Growling and feeling his earlier merriment slip away entirely, he stretched his body into a standing position as soon as he was free of the blast wave. His heavy frame shoved the water beneath his heels away violently as he fought for traction and control on his own element. Finally, he was still once more. Hardly wasting a second, he routed a large amount of chakra into his lower body and sprinted toward Samehada.

Kisame's round eyes caught the sickly gleam of razor wire just a second before it was too late. Overbalancing himself and allowing his body to tip backward, below the surface of the water, the shinobi narrowly avoided being bisected. A quick water technique launched a mushroom cloud of water upwards, once the tidal wave settled, clinging drops revealed yet another trap lain by the kunoichi. A glittering spider's web of steel razor wire had been strung between the trees above.

The former Mist-nin felt a sharp grimace overtake his features. "Wrong move, little birdy." Though his words were lost to the liquid surrounding him, escaping his deadly maw only in the form of bubbles, his sentiment was still to be felt by the unfortunate kunoichi soon enough. With another set of seals, Kisame utilized a bit more of his monstrous chakra reserve. Overhead the water level rose dramatically, flushing out the dark shadow Kisame had sighted only seconds earlier.

Tenten stood exposed, no longer shielded by the canopies she'd relied on to lay her boobytraps. She twisted lithely atop the nin-made lake, easily balancing on the placid waters. Her cinnamon eyes flickered across the landscape, hoping to sight her opponent before he reached her. The only warning she recieved was from another of her senses, however as she felt a tremor in the liquid below her soles.

The stark white, wrapped blade of Samehada sliced upward, parting the water around it like a gigantic fin. Tenten gasped, rolling her ankle sideways and managing to propel herself out of harm's way by launching her weight from the broadside of the sword. Hissing in pain as the legendary weapon's scales bit into her sole, she hopped back, away from Kisame's revealed position.

The nuke-nin heaved Samehada into its customary position, sure enough of his upper hand to smile toothily at the kunoichi. His eyes watched in an uncannily predatory manner as thin ribbons of blood dyed the water below Tenten's battle-ready stance. Once he was finally able to pull his gaze from the reddish haze, he eyed her ANBU mask appreciatively. "Hmm, a panda bear? I had you pegged for a little birdy with all that flitting around in the trees you've been doing."

Kisame's only warning was an excited tremble in Samehada as a massive influx in chakra shoved him violently forward. The female ANBU reacted swiftly, launching overhead to join the new arrival at the southern end of the lake. Snarling, Kisame righted himself in time to round and face the pair as a male voice roiled across the suddenly turbulent water.

"I'm the _birdy,_" the hawk-masked figure of an ANBU spat with such condescension the nuke-nin wondered which of the kid's relatives he'd butchered. Then Kisame noticed the way the furious form of the male shifted protectively once the female landed behind him. Not a relative, he decided, he'd just roughed up the little guy's girlfriend. A choppy, bellowing laugh poured from the swordsman. Perhaps Itachi hadn't given him the shitty half of this mission after all. This was shaping up to be a marvelous fight.

* * *

The scalding water that streamed almost violently onto his crown didn't distract Saskue whatsoever from his thoughts. Rather, his hands efficiently completed the task of cleansing his body, ignoring the faint sting as his callouses caught only faintly healed wounds. The moment they'd finished, he stepped from beneath the spray, refusing to allow himself to soak in the relaxing heat left behind in the stall as he stemmed the flow of water from the pipes. In only minutes, he'd towelled himself dry and stepped silently into his suite.

His dark eyes evaluated the space, instantly singling out the cause of Sakura's earlier presence. A soft pile of cloth was perched on his pack, slipping from what must have been a neatly folded form. Dressing, Sasuke wondered for a moment when she'd found the time to scrub away the stain he was sure had soiled most of the garment. After all, she'd been wearing it when her shoulder had been grievously injured.

More for a lack of any other preoccupation than true curiosity, the shinobi unfurled the shirt from its resting place and searched its back for the mending he was sure was present. His thick fingers eventually caught a nearly imperceptible ridge where Sakura had stitched the damaged fabric to become whole once again. Another few seconds and he could faintly see the edges of a phantom stain where blood had pooled around the tear. Conciously loosening his grip on the garment, Sasuke straightened himself and turned toward the door.

The shirt was a reminder that he didn't need. Muscles that had been reluctantly loosened by the warm shower began to knot themselves once more across his back as he reached his destination. Sakrua wasn't present, nor was she prepared to leave. Dark brows drew downwards as he approached her things where they laid sprawled across the mat. Dropping the bundle in his hand onto the stack he assumed it belonged in, Sasuke stepped back.

A rustle caught his attention before he had time to retreat and his sharp eyes tracked a blur of motion. His handling of the shirt had dislodged something from a small compartment at the front of her bag. The breeze drifting in lazily from the window swept the light weight slip to a spinning stop on the floor in the center of the room. Sasuke glanced to the small, inconspicuous scrap of paper. It was the wrong color and appearance for a wrapper or scroll segment. Paranoia prickled at his nape.

Crouching and pinning the slip with a single finger as it began to twirl away with his motion, Sasuke investigated his find. The further his eyes read along the small page, the more his form seemed to wind taught. By the time he'd finished, he was nearly vibrating with latent fury. The receipt's pale yellow, semi-translucent form was smudged, the lead that was once scrawled across its face nearly illegible. He now knew the contents of the page verbatim.

An order from the Chiasa Centere Flower Shoppe; a customer assembled bouquet that totalled up to some seventy ryuu.

Rather than calling for Sakura, he waited.

The rasp of the front entrance sliding open had sounded only moments ago, followed by her feather light steps as she paced toward her room. Toward him. Black eyes remained riveted to the damning slip. He'd been too lax with her, obviously. It was this sort of mistake that was going to cost her her life. The bold characters **DELIVERY ADDRESS** screamed out from the page, burning into his mind. How had she been so _foolish_? Even the most novice nin knew better than to leave a blatant paper trail. Yet here Sakura was, a newly fledged nuke-nin, making glaring errors. Loopy, slightly feminine hand penned the name: 'Yamanaka Ino, Konoha Village' only a hair's breadth after the line that had caught his attention. Her signature signed the bottom line.

Sharingnan blades began to whorl as the gravity of the situation began to take hold in his gut. She may just have damned them both. The tap of sandaled feet came to a slow halt only a rice paper screen beyond his silent post. Sakura sensed him, he knew. She was curious as to why he was standing in her quarters, surely radiating his poor temperament to the very atmosphere surrounding him. A pregnant moment passed as they stood frozen; one in fury, the other in caution. At last the hushed sound of the well kept shouji slipping open filled the tense space between the pair.

Sakura had moved, entering the room even as her puzzled and slightly worried eyes found his stoically averted ones. Sasuke could almost hear her brow furrowing as she followed his line of sight...its intangible trajectory leading her inevitably to the receipt lying forlornly on the pale wooden floor.

Her gasp was overshadowed by his thick voice. "_Sakura_."

* * *

**...I'm baaaack!And with a partial fight scene! :D **

**Thanks for being patient, please review!**


	22. Blue Black Part One

**Blue Black**

**Part One**

There was something about clouds that Shikamaru liked. Maybe it was their carefree, easygoing existence. They were drifting wanderers with no place to be and nothing to be done. Freedom personified. Mahogany eyes studied a nimbus formation, following its playful lines and airy texture. As it blew gently east, the shinobi decided what it was something else entirely that fascinated him. The lack of responsibility and accountability. No one expected anything from a puffy white cloud.

Heaving a sigh, he thought of the mission scroll near his elbow. He and Ino were scheduled for a two week assignment in Suna. Village relations, or something like it. Seven days with the girl who drove him out of his mind. He couldn't wait. Drama was sure to abound. He let his eyes slip shut. Maybe it would take her mind off of Sakura's situation, at the very least.

The years that had passed since they met as Genin hadn't changed Ino much. She was still unerringly feminine and beautiful. Every eye locked onto her when she walked into a room. It was uncanny. She just had a sort of magnetism when it came to men. Shikamaru felt his lackadaisical mood slipping into annoyance as he acknowledged that he wasn't exempt.

The rustle of clothing falling through space filled Ino's modest apartment. As Shikamaru let himself in through the front door, he ran dark eyes over the familiar floor plan and dipped a hand into his pocket by force of habit. A light voice, singing something popular among the citizen population of Konoha, was vaguely audible from where he stood in the living room. The fluttering sound accompanying the tune must have been the blonde kunoichi searching for suitable clothing. Leisurely, the Nara clansman began to stride toward the corridor that lead to the single bedroom. Stopping just short of the half shut door, he called into the sun dappled room, "It's chilly. You should wear a sweater."

He was almost sorry he'd spoken when her song halted and a round of cursing ensued. Ino's flushed face appeared between the door and jam, her long, unbound hair trailing toward the creamy carpet. "How long have you been standing there?" A black brow inched skyward at her tone. For all the impressive language she'd just displayed, her disposition was curiously lacking in anger. Rather than push his luck, Shikamaru replied, "Not long."

Ino just nodded, her cheeks beginning to fade from the bright red they'd been only moments ago. Her manicured nails tapped the edge of the wooden panel she was still holding onto before she broke eye contact and chirped, "I'll just grab a sweater and be right out." Nodding and watching her disappear, the shinobi waited for a moment where he stood in the hall before making his way back toward the front room. His pocketed fingers flexed around the pack of cigarettes that they shared the space with, but he refrained from pulling them out. He knew Ino wouldn't mind, but he was loath to replace the sweet, floral scent permeating the room with an acrid, smokey one.

Breathing in deeply and enjoying the experience of standing in Ino's apartment, Shikamaru was almost startled by a knock at the door. His partner's voice called out from down the hall, half-muffled by fabric. "Shika? Can you-" a low bang and a louder curse rang out as she trailed off.

Shikamaru sighed and sauntered toward the front door, pulling it open and propping himself against the jam. A teen in a bland green uniform stood in the hall, an enormous bouquet masking most of his upper body. In a strained, reedy tone, he asked, "Yamanaka Ino?"

The shinobi could feel his eyebrow ticking upward. He debated for a moment rather or not he should let the boy hold the weight of the delivery a bit longer for his obvious mistake. However, he decided against it when the youth began to sway alarmingly. Troublesome.

Gathering the vase from the shorter male, Shikamaru droned, "No. But this is her apartment."

The teen hesitated momentarily, double checking the address on his clipboard. He shrugged and extended the sheet toward the older man. His eyes widened as the man easily shifted to hold the arrangement in the crook of one arm as he scrawled a signature on the bottom line. Shikamaru regretted denying himself that cigarette as he stood for a moment longer, pen extended toward the goggling delivery boy.

Finally coming to his senses, the youth retrieved his pen and blustered, "Have a nice day, sir!"

Simply nodding and kicking the door shut with his foot, Shikamaru retreated back toward the living room. Ino entered from the hall at the other end of the space almost simultaneously. A delighted gasp fluttered to the dark haired man's ears. The soft patter of her bare feet over the carpet was his only warning before Ino squealed, "You brought flowers?!"

The weight of the bouquet was lifted from his arms as her heart-shaped face finally came into view. Her cheeks were flushed with a pretty red glow. Shikamaru felt his stomach sink toward his nin-sandals at the thought of explaining the flowers' true origin. He was saved the trouble by her next words.

Baby blue eyes scanned over the assortment with a florist's eye. She fingered a blossom as she mused, "So who was at the door?" Her pale gaze met his darker one as she continued without allowing him to answer. Affixing her attention on the flowers in her grasp, she muttered, "These aren't from the shop...we don't carry-"

"Someone brought them." Clearing his throat a bit awkwardly, he finished, "I didn't buy them." He winced a little at the pointless addition.

Ino was silent for a moment before she laughed a little sharply and waved flippantly. "Of course. Ha ha, what was I thinking?" Avoiding his eyes, she stared again at the eclectic array of blossoms. "And whoever picked these must've been blind."

Shikamaru simply nodded, unwilling to open his mouth again for fear of what might escape.

Laughing a bit forcibly, she trilled on. "I mean, these," she singled out a small flower, "mean remembrance!" She singled out another. "And these..." her voice thinned suddenly as her face drained of color. Her pale eyes remained locked on the center of the bouquet.

Shikamaru moved in a flash, settling the large vase on a nearby side table and steadying Ino's suddenly limp form. Grasping one of her fisted hands, he questioned, "Ino? What's-"

Her wide, watering eyes met his as she whispered, "Sakura. They're...from Sakura."

* * *

Neji could feel the chakra he was routing through his feet digging into the soft earth, leaving small craters where he stepped. He'd abandoned the canopies when he felt his escaped prisoner's signature draw near. Now he was tracking her without his Byakugan, simply following her path through the underbrush. He rounded a wide tree trunk, catching the kunai extended to damage his eyes with honed reflexes. Twisting the wrist he'd captured and forcing the female into a position that restricted her mobility, he put his hasty plan into action.

His voice was uncharacteristically rough with stress as he demanded, "You are familiar with my partner's chakra signature." When Karin nodded reluctantly, he tightened his grip slightly and continued. "You will travel toward it. Any disobedience will be punished. Swiftly and severely. Am I understood?" Another nod of her bright head answered his string of orders. Neji released her captured hand and watched her stand shakily. His steely gaze met her red one for an instant before she bolted once more, this time in the direction he had dictated.

They hadn't gone far before the sounds of battle became glaringly present. An explosion roared through the forest, a blast wave of energy rippling through the millions of leaves that ensconced the travelling pair. Neji felt his teeth grind against one and other as the branch he was balancing on dipped violently in the aftermath. Tenten was using her highest grade weapons already. That could mean either that she was playing it safe and giving the fight her best from the beginning...or she was already compromised and perhaps making a desperate effort to gain an advantage.

He didn't need to slide a sideways look at his prisoner to convey the need to move faster. She simply sped up to match his pace when he rocketed past her, ignoring the crack of limbs that were left shuddering in his wake. Within seconds they had reached the epicenter of the explosion. Neji stood on the last perch that overlooked the lake that had appeared in the forest, his long dark hair trailing back into the shadows he'd just emerged from. Karin landed beside him a split second later, her face clearly displaying her shock.

Tenten stood alone and exposed on the placid blue expanse.

Before she could speak, Karin felt four almost instantaneous jabs to her major chakra points. Neji retracted his glowing hands, watching stoically as the nuke-nin slipped to a slouched position against the tree's trunk. Looking pointedly toward her immobilized arms and legs, he then studied the distance from her boneless form to the forest floor. He locked colorless eyes onto her frightened garnet ones and murmured, "It is a long fall should you try anything foolish."

Confident in his prisoner's cooperation, Neji turned once more toward the battle unfolding between his partner and Kisame. An enormous fin appeared from the flat surface of the lake as he watched, irrupting in a tidal wave of misplaced liquid from beneath the Tenten's feet. He was moving even as she reacted, dropping from his elevated position and onto the water's roiling surface. He could feel the familiar pulse of chakra pounding through his temples as his Byakugan activated with his agitation. The Hyuuga could only follow the blurred flicker of Tenten's form as she maneuvered away from the nuke-nin's massive weapon as it sliced upward in a deadly arc.

Its aquatic master was just behind Samehada, settling calmly onto the rolling lake and propping his sword onto his broad shoulder. Neji felt his vision tint as bloody red as the water beneath Tenten's feet as Kisame patronized her. Birdy? A snarl twisted over his face as he dropped into the Gentle Fist technique. Tenten's only nickname was the compliment of his own. The usual amount of chakra flowed to his open palms, but the shinobi added more than was customary before he could analyze the burning in his gut or the static in his ears. Breathing deeply through his nose, Neji willed the energy outward with the slightest indication of his arms. Light bent as the technique sailed over the nin-made lake, giving the blast a nearly tangible appearance.

A smirk worked over Neji's features beneath his bone white mask as Kisame was nearly bowled over by the blast. Tenten was at his side in the next instant, just a step behind and already attuned to his subtleties. Their partnership was whole once more, at least for the time being. He could feel her compact chakra reserve as it pulsed, eclipsed by his own. The thunderhead and lightning bolt, prepared for a storm. Feeling the need to mock his opponent, Neji tossed the shinobi's pathetic attempt at belittlement back at him. "I'm the _birdy_."

Kisame flicked Samehada skyward, using his freed hands to rub comically at his back. "That hurt." Morphing his dramatically pained expression to something deadly in the blink of an eye, he growled, "I don't like that." His right hand struck out, gripping the thin handle of his legendary blade as it spun back into range. The large man allowed it to continue its rotation, leaving its tip dipped beneath the roiling lake. "I remember you runts. That green bastard's pupils, huh?" A barking laugh rattled from his barrel chest at the memory of Gai and his eccentricity. "S'a damn miracle you lot made it to ANBU with that dumb ass for a mentor!"

Tenten shifted her weight, rearing to attack at the blatant insult to their sensei. Neji accommodated by stepping to stand a bit more directly before her, nullifying her unspoken wish to launch a volley of metal on the shark man's head. Her low growl must have carried over the choppy waters to Kisame's ears.

"The birdie wants to play, little man." Tilting his head and flashing razor sharp teeth, he cooed, "Why not let 'er?" When Neji didn't deign to respond to his barb, Kisame decided to try again. The tension between the two was nearly a visible thing, after all. And it was obvious by their body language that their silent dynamic was their true strength. But he could fix that. "Or is she still as weak as before?" Snorting, he asked, "Will a little clone and a water prison finish you off this time...or will I have to bring out the big guns?"

This time Tenten's furious yell was more than audible to the nuke-nin. Her war cry rang out along with the whisper of parchment as a truly monstrous scroll appeared as if from no where. Summoning smoke disappeared from view along with its mistress and as it did, Neji moved at last. His softly glowing hands trailed behind his body as he streaked across the water toward his foe. He jerked his right arm forward, perserving his momentum and adding it to the force he drove toward his first attack. Kisame just rolled Samehada from his shoulder, leaving Neji with the option to cancel his air palm or shred his hand all together.

He opted to allow himself to be pressed back. The Leaf shinobi just grinned and redirected the energy he'd nearly wasted into adjusting his footing. Twin arcs of water jetted from his heels as he arranged his stance on the choppy surface of the lake. His eyes met Tenten's as she lanced down from the sky behind Kisame, blades glittering around her in the sunlight. Like the deadly halo of an avenging angel, he thought. The weapons found their mistress' hands one by one and launched toward their target, the largest kunai and shuriken rattled against Samehada and sank into the waters below. But the thin senbon and miniature darts slipped by the bulky weapon in pairs and triplets, finding purchase in the blue skin of the enemy.

Once her initial barrage was spent and Tenten had settled onto the surface once more behind her Captain, Kisame turned to face the pair. He swiped the back of a hand over a gash on his cheek, one that had damaged his gill markings. His round eyes looked positively predatory as he muttered, "Playtime's over, kiddies." Samehada wheeled up and out of sight, leaving the former Mist shinobi to clasp his hands and grunt, "Water Element: Five Man-Eating Sharks!" Slamming his hand onto the surface of the water, he chuckled as five identical streams of chakra spilled into the lake below, curling about in a deadly ribbon until five perfectly formed beasts sank into the depths. He stood then, seeming to enjoy the sensation of water that rolled up his wrist as he extended his hand toward the heavens. The lethal, stark white blur that was the falling Samehada dropped into its owner's waiting palm. A slice of pearly white against blue skin formed as Kisame grinned ferally. "Let's play." An eruption of water shot upward at the words, carrying Kisame out of sight.

Neji drew a deep breath, dropping into a defensive stance and scanning the lake bed and skyline simultaneously. Listing gently to the right, he indicated without speaking that he had sighted their quarry. Tenten responded by drawing further artillery from her major scroll. Twin katana appeared in her palms and sliced through the air with a low whistle as the Weapons Mistress accustomed herself to their weight. Neji's stance suddenly changed as he sensed the target multiplying and fanning outward. With a faint curse he informed his partner. "Water clones. Three additional to the original mark."

Tenten simply hummed and turned until her back was pressed against Neji's. She thought of commenting on his sense of personal space and how it seemed to only disappear during battle, but thought better of it. A pillar of water had just materialized before her, and her mind was once more on the task at hand. A quick scan of the surroundings revealed Samehada, it prowled in a deadly circle just beyond the 'Kisame' that had just appeared and gave no indication as to which of the clones was its true owner. Rather than dwell, Tenten swept one of her blades up and toward her opponent's neck.

A sharp smile met her blow as her katana bit deeply into the wide collar that blocked it from its destination. Tenten's eyes widened when 'Kisami' didn't move to so much as dodge the blow. Instead a loud splash met her honed weapon's strike. Water cascaded back toward the lake below as the trap that had been lain for her became apparent. Samehada had drawn near while she was distracted by the water clone and before Tenten's dark eyes could even widen, the true Kisame rose from his element, grasping his sentinent blade. A chuckle rang from him as he swept Samehada in a shallow semicircle, its jagged length only just grazing the kunoichi's sandals.

What alarmed the ANBU was the ghostly blue glow that siphoned from her soles and into the passing sword. Her stomach lurched as she tried to stablize herself, but it was too late. She had sunk up to her ankles and her window of opportunity had passed. Gulping the largest breath she could manage, Tenten slipped from her braced position against Neji and beneath the treacherous waters. Neji wheeled to see just what had happened, but was stopped by a familiar technique. The clone he'd destroyed had only been replaced by the third and final one, it seemed. And it had taken the opening Neji had foolishly left to set the second half of Kisame's plan into motion. A sphere of water bloomed upward from the pool below, enveloping the Hyuuga and rendering him motionless.

Even as the technique closed its watery clutches, Neji prepared to release a burst of chakra from his vital points, just as he had years earlier. "Ah ah!" Kisame chided, "I'm a fast learner. Despite appearances." He slanted Samehada until its scaly edge breached the globe. "Now you can exert all the chakra you'd like." Grinning, he amended, "I'd enjoy it, in fact. Samehada can never have enough."

When his prisoner remained taciturn, Kisame just laughed and dipped into a crouch. Keeping one hand extended and Samehada in place, the blue-skinned man pressed his remaining hand flat against the lake's surface. "Now lets take care of your birdy, shall we?"

Neji felt his eyes widen as the pieces began to fall into place. Round eyes observed with reserved glee when veins began to bulge around the Hyuuga's strange gaze as their owener searched for his partner beneath the waves. Kisame kept his attention on the male and he cackled, "First meal!" Neji tensed in his aquatic prison at the command to the previously summoned sharks. He could only watch as the still rapidly sinking Tenten fended off the first of her attackers with a pair of over sized kunai.

"That won't get her far." Kisami noted as the kunoichi diced the first shark, only to watch it regenerate even as it retreated. "Second meal!" This time Tenten was driven back, beneath the canopy of a sunken tree by the strength of the attacking beast. Kisame laughed with true mirth and sadistic joy. Blood was floating upward in sickly, reddish violet streamers from the spot where she'd disappeared. "Third meal! Fourth meal! Fifth meal!" The remaining shark summons converged on the trapped Tenten and only Neji was left to see what happened in the depths of the lake.

Kisame lifted his hand from the surface and stood, "Come on now, little guy! Don't be stingy!" His voice grew thick and deep with bloodlust, "Give me all the gory details. Did the little bitch put up a decent fight? Or did she go out like a Genin?"

A bellow unlike anything even the hardened nuke-nin had ever heard ripped from his prisoner's chest. Neji had missed the climax of the battle on the lake bed. Kisame, in a moment of idiocy or supreme cruelty, had allowed Samehada to push further into the water prison as he rose. The greedy sword had leeched the nearest chakra source, which in this case had been the large amounts used to fuel his bloodlimit. Despite the earlier taunt, Neji flexed the bulk of his remaining chakra into disrupting the flow of the energy holding him immobile.

Before Samehada could negate the burst, the Hyuuga gripped the weapon. Ignoring the hideous bite of the blade against his flesh, he shoved the heavy weapon with all his might, knocking it away from his prison and allowing his strategy to become effective. Torrents of liquid sluiced from his thick hair and soaked body as the orb melted away, but Neji paid no heed. His palms were a mere blur as he thrusted tirelessly toward Kisame's broad chest. Landing only partial hits and feeling no less furious for it, the Hyuuga continued to pour more and more energy into his strikes. All the while, Samehada glowed happily and it drank its fill.

"You two were too easy." Kisame mused as he weaved back and forth, dodging. "She was a bigger challenge without you, really. Tons more fun." Grunting as one angry swipe pummeled into his ribcage, the shinobi added, "You limit her, I think. Not much of a partnership to speak of. WOAH!" Kisame yelled in surprise as a particularly vicious right hook zipped over his head and he ducked. He was really getting to the little guy if he was loosing his technique and resorting to punches. "So what _was_ the deal with you two?" He made sure to emphasize the past tense as he needled, "Lovers?" Kisame scrunched his features and answered his own query. "Nah. She didn't seem that interested. A little hostile, if anything. Hmm, _EX_-lovers maybe?"

No further words escaped Kisame's lips as one of Neji's furious air palms finally met its full mark. The nuke-nin's neck snapped backward as the blast washed over his chin, silencing him momentarily. Neji was ready to follow, but the surface of the lake suddenly became erratic, huge waves cresting from a disturbance below. A dome rose slowly from the origin of the turbulence, washing the two combatants toward the edge of the pool as it bulged upward. It bowed sharper and sharper until at last the water drained away and the magnificent head of a dragon appeared.

_Tenten_. The thought resonated in Neji's mind at the sight of the mythical creature as relief coursed down his spine.

An apparition of smoke and power, the beast reared its mighty head and dove toward the pair at the edge of the battlefield. Atop the enormous summon, Tenten stood wearily. Twin scrolls fluttered behind her, ready for use but she heavily favored her left leg. Neji narrowed his eyes at the thought. If the injury was so severe that she couldn't downplay it by ignoring the damage and presenting herself with an unaffected air as they'd been trained, he had reason to be concerned.

The maw of the opalescent lizard dropped open as soon as it drew near, its long serpentine body curling below as a bright glow began at its throat. Alighting to perch on the tip of the dragon's flaring nose, Tenten glowered down to Kisame and called, "Two Thousand Blades!" The deadly rain began, first with the smallest of her arsenal: senbon and makibishi. Then the whirling shadows of shuriken that ranged from standard to windmill style appeared from the master scroll's draconian form. At last the largest and final volley began: spears, javelins and pikes poured from the sky. Their Mistress faded with the spent summon, falling lithely among her weapons and masked from sight by the smoke that had once formed the creature.

Kisame angled his head as he tracked the speed of the various blades rocketing toward his position, lifting Samehada in preparation. The song of hundreds of tiny needles and vicious nails ringing against the irregular surface of his sword clanged as the ex-Mist shinobi moved with unexpected agility. Neji for his part counted silently, watching with his Byakugan as his partner fell earthward, balanced on her favorite pike. It was an enormous risk to try the plan she'd initiated, but Kisame was not showing any sign of weakening...and both he and his partner were rapidly surrendering their chakra to his damned Samehada.

Seconds passed and the nuke-nin parried the vast majority of the blades, sustaining only glancing injuries. Then Tenten appeared. Parchment arched behind her like wings as she rocketed toward their opponent, but before she was within range, she swiped a hand over the mess of blood at her left hip. Smearing the bright red stain over both palms, the kunoichi flung her arms back, activating the scrolls that streamed behind her as the blood met ink with a smack. Mines fell endlessly into the cyclonic water below, but Kisame didn't have time to analyze the move as the ANBU finally reached striking distance.

Tenten kicked the wooden pole she'd been balanced upon, flipping the long, blade-tipped bo into her eager grasp. Without even waiting for her feet to meet the lake's surface, she began a lethal combination of jabs and thrusts, forcing Kisame backward. And into Neji's waiting stance. The Hyuuga struck out in a move that was hardly visible, his foot arcing toward the instep of Kisame's weight bearing right leg. As the blow struck, Tenten lanced her pike mightily at Kisame's shoulder, effectively forcing him to reorient himself or be skewered and knocked from his defensive stance simultaneously.

Kisame's fishy eyes rolled in surprise as Neji struck his open chest before he could regain his footing. Breath was knocked mercilessly from his body as the Hyuuga began shutting down his chakra points with lightening fast strikes. But rather than falling into Samehada's range and reaching for his opponent's final gates, Neji dropped back and immediately utilized the freedom of chakra he'd gained while Kisame was temporarily neutralized. He gripped the hand Tenten was readily extending, swinging her to rest tightly against his back as he began to spin.

Shucking her nearly shredded, bloodly gloves from her hands, Tenten hurriedly applied a fresh sacrifice to the revealed summon tattoos beneath. As they reached the correct speed, the kunoichi tucked her head to rest beside her partner's at his shoulder. He hardly had to mutter to be heard at their proximity. "Begin." A hum of agreement tickled his ear as Tenten began to flex her wrists, their slim mass pressed tightly against his own to minimize her interference in his technique. Blades flew from her hands, disappearing outward into the maelstrom of chakra that was Neji's kaiten.

For a shining moment, their ultimate attack worked perfectly. Tenten's flying weapons detonated the mines she'd laid moments before, damaging their enemy while Neji's kaiten protected them from the blasts and rendered them nearly untouchable.

Neither were prepared for Kisame's response to their attack. Samehada whirrled through, narrowly missing their combined hands and skating over Neji's left shoulder. His only warning was a pained gasp as the blade formed spikes and shredded Tenten's slim upper arm. Her reflexive instinct to recoil from the weapon unbalanced their careful position, peeling Tenten's body from his and flinging her into the violent grip of the fading kaiten. Neji watched in stunned panic as blood spilled from injuries both caused and adjitated by the beating the whipping chakra caused.

His rotations finally slowed and before he could act, Kisame was upon him. The large man was a bit haggard from the mines that had been detonated by Tenten's projectiles. Smoke poured from several smouldering gashes on his right side, and the shark-faced man had a truly savage look on his strange face. The long, drawn out cry of a raven broke their standoff almost as it began. High above the swollen battlefield, a blackbird circled, cawing. A frustrated growl echoed from the nuke-nin as he hefted Samehada and bit out, "You have _no idea_ how lucky you are, boy."

Even as the water around them began to drain off rapidly with Kisame's exit, Neji tore toward where he'd last seen Tenten. She laid sprawled and unmoving in the now-exposed canopy of an enormous tree. He had hardly lifted her battered, limp body to his own when Kisame's voice rang out from across the drenched forest.

"I win, little man!" Sharp teeth shone in the dying sunlight as Kisame arranged Samehada to hang from its holster at his back...and he slung Karin over his shoulder in the blade's place. "I'll be taking _this_ off of your hands." The nuke-nin's boisterous laughter lingered as he disappeared.

The damp air of an evening washed over Neji's face as he peeled away his hawk disguise. Tenten's mask joined his own on the grass nearby only a moment later. Breathing raggedly, he let his forehead dip toward Tenten's clammy one. Wind whistled past the distant pair as the sun continued to sink toward the horizon, unaffected by one shinobi's plight. After a moment of silent pain and self-loathing, Neji climbed unsteadily to his feet and set out for Konoha: his partner heavily injured and his mission utterly compromised.

* * *

The soft sound of rain and another bustling day in Konoha drawing to a close drifted up to the open windows of the Hokage's office. Tsunade was deaf to the murmur of city life at her back as she plodded away at the stack of forms before her. She had just skimmed the last line of a standard clause and was lifting her hand to sign the marked line when her peaceful working environment was shattered.

A screaming kunoichi stumbled in the door, long blonde locks flying and the rest of her academy year's class at her back.

Amongst the confusion of Ino's voice combined with her peers, each vying to be heard, Jiraiya appeared and shoved a small bouquet into her incredulous grip. Honey brown eyes narrowed at the abrupt gesture, but the female hardly paid her fellow Sannin any heed. Rather, she pressed her palms flat to her desk as she half stood. In a deceptively calm, even tone, she controlled the situation with a simple statement.

"For the sake of my _sanity_ and your collective _ranks_, I hope that this intrusion serves an extremely valuable purpose."

The same Jounin who'd lead the entire mess stepped forward. Ino waved her own bundle of flowers, her pretty face stricken as she exclaimed, "Tsunade-sama! It's Sakura! She sent us a message!"

A creak split the stunned silence that followed as Tsunade unthinkingly pressed a bit too much of her monstrous strength into the surface she was braced against. Blinking rapidly and stepping away from her damaged worktop, she called out sharply, "Shizune!"

When the medical kunoichi appeared at the door, she motioned for her to join the congested office. Fixing a level stare on each of the room's inhabitants once the door was shut once more, she murmured, "What is spoken within these walls from this point on will not be repeated under any circumstances. Am I understood?" Nods and quiet agreements met her steely question. Once secrecy was established, Tsunade looked back to Ino. "Explain, please."

The Yamanaka bit her lip for a moment, fiddling with the little arrangement of flowers as she began at a less extreme volume, "This afternoon, before Shikamaru and I departed for Suna, a large bouquet arrived at my apartment." Sparing a sideways glance toward her teammate, she stuttered on. "I-At first I thought...Well, I noticed that they weren't from _my_ shop and then it occurred to me that each of the flowers had a special, fairly well-known meaning."

Confidence returning, she pointed to her own mini-bouquet. "These," she indicated a small cluster of periwinkle blossoms, "mean remembrance. And," she touched the pouting, exotic shaped petal of a iris, "something like 'our deep friendship means so much.'" A pair of frown lines appeared on the blonde's forehead as she struggled for composure. Locking her sad blue stare onto her Hokage's, she added, "But I wasn't the only one who got a little message: there were six bundles. Each had a small, colored ribbon. I-um, I 'read' each little boquet and gave them to the people I thought they were meant for."

Tsunade let her eyes wander over the collected shinobi and kunoichi, noting for the first time that there were indeed several miniature arrangements among them. Fingers tightening around her own bundle, she asked slowly, "And the meaning of each?"

Ino turned, gesturing to each recipient in turn, "Naruto got yellow tulips and sweet peas: a sad goodbye to my friend, thank you for the fond memories...and there is always sunshine in your smile." The blond shinobi wrung his hands around the thick stems in his hands, head hung low and Hinata hovering nervously at his side. "Sai has chrysanthemum and sweet pea: sad farewell to a friend. And Kakashi's are cyclamen and azalea. They roughly translate to a resignated goodbye and 'please take care of yourself, for me.'" Kakashi's sole visible eye was on the thin bunch of small, clustering blooms in his careful grip.

At last she reached Tsunade's bouquet, and Ino felt the gravity of the entire situation begin to press down on the room, stifling the occupants. Clearing her throat she pointed to each of the blooms in the Sannin's had in turn, "Geranium symbolize folly or stupidity, and the purple hyacinth are for heartfelt regret. The p-" she trailed off, composing herself quickly. She swept a frustrated hand over her watery eyes. "The pink rose means, 'please, please believe me.'"

Tsunade's head remained bowed for a long moment before she too could speak evenly. "And the ones Shikamaru is holding?"

Ino felt a reluctant chuckle fall from her lips. Gathering the last and largest bundle, she replied, "Forehead signed the damned thing. That's what convinced me I wasn't going crazy." As she spoke, she turned the bouquet until the top was visible to Tsunade. The small, circular flowers were a large grouping of reddish pink blooms ringed by a thin rim of identical white ones. When viewed from above, it closely resembled the Haruno symbol familiar to all who knew Sakura. "They stand for daily remembrance and lasting...lasting affection."

The blanket of thick silence that fell over the assembly was only broken by the occasional sniffle from Ino until Jiraiya stepped forward. Crossing his thick arms, his deep voice was resonate: deep, soothing and commanding at once as he spoke. "I do not want to somehow cheapen the moment, but I believe it is necessary to set a few facts straight." He turned to Ino, where she stood braced against Shikamaru's side. "You recieved the flowers?" At her slow nod, he continued, "And your family owns the Yamanaka Flower Shop here in Konoha, correct?" Another nod. "Sakura was aware of this, of course. Did you spend time together at your family's store?"

Ino pressed against Shikamaru for another moment before standing away from him and raising her head a bit higher. "Yes. I spent a lot of time there before I graduated to Jounin, Sakura visited me and we..." Her blue eyes seemed vacant for a moment as she thought back. Rather than finishing her thought, she began to run her fingertips almost frantically over the surface of the flower stalks in her hands. Evidently not finding what she wanted, she glanced around until she saw the thick stem of the rose in Tsunade's bouquet.

Stepping forward and reaching for the bundle in her superior's hands, she finally explained, "We used to train! We'd practice chakra control to write or doodle on the extra pieces of stem." Tsunade surrendered her own flowers at the revelation, and Ino traced her fingers over the rose's until she found what she was searching for. Holding the bit of flora up to the light, she huffed in frustration.

Jiraiya, wizened for the emotion-charged occasion, broke in, "Is there another step to the process, Ino-san? I recognize the chakra writing. But is there something that makes the process more legible on the plants?"

The disturbed blonde shook her head in dismay. "We used florist dye and let them soak until the internal tissue turned a darker shade, but that would take to long!" Twisting the stem around a bit more under the nearest light source, she muttered, "I can almost-"

"Might I be of assistance?" Sai smiled placidly as all eyes turned to him. Holding his omnipresent brush aloft, he strode toward Ino and took the rose from her surprised grasp. Applying a bit of his chakra-laced ink to the base of the clipped bloom, he hummed a little as he took patient care in applying the correct amount. He ran a finger along the length of the stem, pulling the dark liquid he often manipulated along beneath the rough surface. As he reached the section that Ino had felt just a minute or so before, several dark characters appeared in sharp relief.

Another plain grin lit the strange shinobi's features as he calmly handed the blossom back to Tsunade. The buxom Sannin ran a finger along the small line of symbols, hesitating for a moment before she read aloud, "Sword, Weasel, Beware." She lifted the stem a bit closer as she frowned, "I can't make out the first one...it looks..."

Jiraiya appeared, leaning over her shoulder. "River Country. It looks like the River Country emblem." His bass laugh rumbled next to Tsunade's ear as he chuckled, "Clever girl!"

* * *

Sakura stood with a fluttering pulse as her teammate glared into her shocked face. She wasn't sure exactly what to call the shade of his eyes, because black seemed too light a hue.

The movement of his gaze from her own to the floor was so pointed it was nearly a verbal command. A soundless demand for answers. Forcing action into her sluggish limbs, the kunoichi slowly placed her wrapped bundle of purchases on the floor just inside the room. Once her hands were free, she lifted them into an open-palmed, placating pose at her waist. "That was-"

"A grave error on your part."

Nervousness was overcome by regret. Not for her purchase, but for the choices that led up to it. The same melancholy thoughts that had plagued her during Sasuke's illness began to fog her mind once more. Slowly, and with an emotion-deepened tone, she bared her reasoning. "I did what I needed to do for the people I failed back there," she stuttered for a moment as her voice caught, "in the town that I abandoned."

Dark eyes cut her to the quick with their disgust as he traced her face and the tear tracks that framed it. "What you did was foolish. Unnecessary." As he paced closer, his voice was somehow less flat and at the same time more fridgid. "You are a _missing-nin _making a _Genin's_ mistakes."

"No." The tremor was free from Sakura's voice as she denied his accusation. "I'm _Sakura_ doing what _I should be doing_." Glaring into the eyes that pierced her even now, she growled, "I _cannot_ just walk away from everything. I won't. I can't go back and I _know_ that." She knocked her hand against her chest as if to hammer the truth to her heart as she confessed with a sob, "It kills me, but I _know_ that." Locking a haunted gaze with Sasuke's furious one, she insisted, "But I can say goodbye to them! I owe my precious people that much." A near frown found her tearful face as she whispered a conclusion. "Not even you can deny me that."

Sasuke felt his lips twist into a cruel smile. "No," he conceded, "I couldn't stop you. And you won't be able to stop me when a hunter comes for us." He turned, ready to be rid of the entire situation when Sakura began to laugh with a tinge of hysteria. Glancing back over his shoulder to assess her expression, he watched as she warred with conflicting emotions.

Something breathless and strange worked its way into Sakura's throat at Sasuke's threat. Regret and guilt and self-loathing were eating her alive and he was unconcerned. That was expected. But now he wanted to place more blame on her head. More blood on her hands. "Liar." She stared fixedly at her hands, searching for the red guilt she was sure was already there somewhere. "You don't kill. You told me yourself."

Staring into the bangs that sheltered the soul of the girl who was turning out to be so different from what he remembered, Sasuke delivered another blow. "I will when it is necessary."

"And it wouldn't have been necessary if I hadn't sent those flowers?" Pink locks, shortened only hours before, slid back to reveal tortured eyes as she raised her head. She locked her tired regard onto Sasuke's unforgiving face. "They wouldn't have found us?" Shaking her head slowly, Sakura levelled, "A lot of things are my fault, Sasuke. A lot of things."

She looked back to her hands as she forged ahead, "It _is_ my fault that Naruto trains until he's bloody and bone tired. Because he made me a promise to bring you back and I was selfish enough to hold him to it. It's my fault that Ino and Sai and the rest of them think so poorly of you. I was the one who was so pathetic and childish, crying for so long after you left. Hell, it's even my fault that I'm in this mess."

Her eyes traced his face as she whispered, "Because I still-" A fresh batch of tears breached her lashes as she pressed her lips together to halt her words. She would not say them to him again, she'd promised herself. Rather she began to advance on the tall, regal man who tore her apart with his inaction.

Sasuke was still and silent as the grave as she vented, "But I didn't make you walk out on Team Seven. I am not the reason you turned your back on Konoha." Her eyes locked with his as she finished. "And I am not the reason we're being hunted."

A large, square hand raised slowly, as if in a trance, to hover just beside Saukra's tear slick cheek. Black eyes studied the sad shine as he breathed, "Are these for Naruto?" Gripping her chin when she hissed angrily and began to turn away, he pressed, "Are they because the Dobe has to _work_ to keep to his word?" His voice deepened as the girl in his grip began to struggle. Insistent, he snarled, "When did he become the center of your world, Sakura?"

Words leaped from her lips before she could stem them, hastened by his unprovoked ire and baseless accusations. "When you left us!" Reaching up to pull at the hand that anchored her chin, she railed, "I turned to the only teammate who stood by me!"

Sasuke could feel his eyes strain with chakra, the Sharingnan surfacing with his anger. "You turned to the only one who had the _luxury_ of standing by you."

"Stop it!" Bucking against his hold and snapping her eyes shut, Sakura screamed. "I won't let you do this!"

"Do what, Sakura?" He leaned forward until he was only a hair's breadth from her tortured expression. "Expose you as the _liar you are_?"

Limp with white hot, impotent fury at Sasuke's words, the kunoichi could only mutter, "What?"

Seething, the Uchiha prompted, "The night I left."

"How _dare_ you," Sakura condemned. Eyes blazing with conviction and bruised pride, she spat, "I meant every word I said."

A hallow laugh met her righteous speech, "But did you understand every one of mine?"

In a split second he had the smaller frame of his prey pinned atop the flat expanse of the dresser near the bed. His hands were hard against her hip and the junction of her neck where he held her confined beneath him. Uchiha eyes spun furiously with the tension their master felt, the tomoes that stained his irises spiraling with the darkest of emotions. Sasuke watched with consuming fascination as her small mouth worked, lips breathing phantom words as her vast mind stumbled to decipher his meaning.

Her consciousness was obviously in a far off place, she'd hardly blinked since he'd spoken. She hadn't batted a red-blonde lash as she was arranged under his weight, nor did she respond to his extreme nearness. Ice churned in his gut at the observations. The woman with her head tilted, achingly familiar rosette mane askew and only inches away, was an impostor. She wasn't the noisy, vain little girl he couldn't seem to forget. Instead she was a stubborn, nearly taciturn stranger with a memory's face.

Callous fingertips found the jagged ends of her hair, numb to the silken texture but not the sight. The chopped locks wreathed her pale face in pink until her jaded eyes stared up with shocking contrast. Her faint voice, so much huskier and sensible than the high, dreamy tone he recalled in his loneliest hours, spoke at length. "You...thanked me. I-I never helped you, then. I was just...a bother." She shook her head as she trailed away, voice thinning.

His eyes darkened to a calmer shade of onyx at her soft, confused tones. The Sharingnan sank back into his tainted blood, but thoughts he resisted and loathed poured into its place. She didn't understand. The girl he knew, the most intelligent Genin of their class, hadn't picked apart his intentions or caught any underlying connotation. The one he held wanted assurance he would not give. She needed a clumsy poet or heart-felt romantic and Sasuke could do nothing for it. He was not the man who deserved the woman staring up at him with bleary eyes.

Saukra watched as his dark eyes filled up with the answers she needed, written in languages she could not read. She saw thin lines etch into the smooth skin at the edges of his feline features and felt his body become ridgid with inability. Something cool and nearly indescribable coursed through her body as she registered what she had found. The boy she fell in love with was just behind the eyes of the man who hovered over her prone body. Instinct guided her heavy limbs as they slipped around beneath his shoulders. The answers she needed were known to her all along.

The second their torsos met, fused by her grip, Sasuke released the breath he hadn't noticed he'd held. The texture of the hair that brushed his collarbones was the same as it had been when they called Konoha home. Her inexplicably delicate arms laced around his chest just as they had nearly every day when they'd been a team. But breath puffed over a spot near his pulse point like he never would have allowed before and soothing fingers massaged knots that he never would have let her find.

So slowly that she had hardly noted any movement, Sasuke ducked his chin, finding the ridge of Sakura's cheekbone by touch. Thick fingers glanced across the column of her throat and found the point of her chin. A strong, straight nose found her pert one, tracing its endearing slope as he rearranged himself within her embrace. He paused for a moment when a tiny hand found his chest. Her distinctive, apple green gaze fuelled the decision he'd only half made, spurring him into a form of action at last.

The pressure of firm lips against the corner of her mouth stole the breath from Sakura's lungs. It felt as if her ribcage had shrunk, leaving her gasping as Sasuke's actions registered in her mind. But as her eyes widened and lips gaped, Sasuke was standing apart from where she laid stunned and nearly languid in his movements. She'd call his movements unaffected if it weren't for the new, deeper shadows in the corners of his obsidian gaze and the almost invisible hesitation in his shoulders as he turned away. His footfalls were as silent as ever and before Sakura could regain her ability to speak, he'd stepped into the hall.

The shouji slid home quietly in his wake.

* * *

**This chapter would NOT end. Seriously. It's well over four times the usual length. On another note, **_**Color Theory**_** is nearing its end. Five or so chapters more and then it's on to a sequel. Look forward to a MEGA plot twist. :) **

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated!**


	23. Blue Black Part Two

**Blue Black **

**Part Two**

For the first time in his life, Kakashi remembered to water the plant on his windowsill. Not the poor, crumpled and withered Mr. Ukki, but the small bouquet that his wayward student had sent along to him as a message. In the relative privacy of his tiny apartment, he sat and stared at the little gift. His sole grey eye studied the thin, vine-like stems that were hardly visible through the ancient glass he'd used as a makeshift vase for the blooms.

He was fairly sure that the tall jar had once held some sort of preserved food, and the numerous chips along the rim had nearly nicked his fingers as he filled it with water. But it was all he'd had and something tight in his chest wouldn't let him leave his empty flat without doing _something_ with his student's final goodbye. Tapping a half-gloved finger against the ramshackle vessel once before turning away, he reasoned that he might as well get a proper vase while he was out.

The door banged shut behind him, like it always did, and his feet found the uneven surface of the next roof over just like they always did, too. But his vision refused to settle on the familiar sights flashing by below, and that was fairly new. The wizened Jounin couldn't quite find it in himself to study the main street where a pink head was usually bobbing along this time of day, or to glance passingly at the nicely kept building just up the lane where a slowly wilting flower box on the third floor told the tale of a newly vacant room.

Instead, he looked toward his destination. Soon enough, his feet were touching down just in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop and his hand was at the door handle. A bell chimed overhead as he entered and he acknowledged the friendly greeting from the counter with a wave. But rather than browsing the long rows of beautifully kept plants, he meandered toward the back wall. As he stood inspecting the smaller end of their supply of vases, he heard a familiar voice from the front of the shop.

"I'm back, mama."

Kakashi turned slightly, peering around a bundle of fern fronds to watch as a short kunoichi trotted up to the counter. Ino's long hair was unbound save for a pair of barrettes at her temples and the effect made her seem years younger. Turning back to the shelf full of small vases, Kakashi hurriedly selected a nearly opaque blue one. He hefted the light weight choice and strode toward the check out where a wan Ino sat quietly.

For the sake of normalcy, he ignored the gloom that seemed to be hanging over the woman and muttered a customary, "Yo." At the sight of her mood-greyed eyes, he felt himself sheepishly lowering his raised hand from its lazy wave. Rather, he watched as she traced a fingertip over stray rose stems for some moments. Finally, a sigh that he hastily disguised as a low cough gusted past his lips. "She'll be fine."

Ino's pale hair whipped around her as she jerked her head up to meet the older jounin's gaze. Narrowing her hazy blue eyes, she muttered, "Sure, maybe."

Kakashi felt his lips thin and his fingers tighten around the vase in his grip as he fought his first instinct to correct the petulant young woman. He was sure that he knew his own students well enough to determine how they'd fare, after all. But the entire conversation had been intended to soothe some of the worry in the young woman's features, not antagonize her. Dropping a wad of ryo onto the counter, he dipped his head in both acknowledgement of her statement and a gesture of goodbye.

He turned, but hadn't even taken two steps toward the door when Ino's voice reached out with a thin sort of quality that he'd never heard it possess before. "I...Are we-" a frustrated sound tore from her delicate throat with a fire that was more characteristic of the blonde. When she began again it was with more assertiveness, the painful desperation still somehow evident in the hoarse tone. "Has Tsunade decided anything? Are Konoha ninja moving toward River Country? Are...are we going to bring her ho-ome?"

The steely-eyed older man glanced over his shoulder with a tired sort of familiarity in every heavy line of his body. As if the negative emotions--as if the misery was something he was accustomed to. At the sight of Kakashi's rough-hewn features arranged in the sort of mask that only decades of hard living could create, Ino felt sure she would not receive what she wanted so badly. By protocol, Kakashi couldn't answer her question: she wasn't assigned to what would be at least an A level mission. But he was the only one of them still on active duty, and she _needed_ to know.

Kakashi observed with tempered neutrality as the petite blonde begged for any bit of information on his student. He listened without wincing as her voice wobbled and finally broke, keeping his shoulders level and his feet planted solidly by force of will and jaded experience. But even as he prepared himself to leave without answering her plea, his single revealed eye caught a motion that made him freeze in place once more.

One slim, capable but still so achingly feminine hand curled up as Ino pulled her loosely fisted hand toward her lip. Her other arm curled around her rib cage as if to keep herself in check as a fine tremble began somewhere near her toes and washed up to her crumpling features. In the bright shop, it was impossible to miss how similar she looked to her lost friend. To Sakura.

How many times had he seen that exact pose, struck by a pinkette? Watched as eyes as rich as leaves filled up with moisture? Kakashi checked the tightening of his fist, saving the vase trapped there only narrowly. Something in his chest turned over and his voice ran away with him before he could stymie that too. "I'm leaving in eight hours with an ANBU team."

Ino felt tears begin a riotous wave down her face as the elder jounin hurried from the shop, his movements jerkier than was customary. But the oppressive weight in her chest had lightened by leaps and bounds. _They were going to bring Sakura home._

_

* * *

  
_

There was a tightness in Sasuke's shoulders that Sakura couldn't ignore. It had kept her on edge since they'd left out for whatever destination the Uchiha had in mind that morning. The slightly more pronounced shadows in the cloth that draped his shoulders was subtle, but present. So was the almost palpable thickness in the space between the travelling pair of ninja. He was angry, or annoyed or some breed of the two.

She considered the pale of his skin next to the stark whiteness of his shirt with a detached sort of remembrance as she mulled her observation. He was so alike the boy who abandoned the village years ago. It was easy to miss at first glance, perhaps, but if one cared to look deeper...Sasuke-kun was alive just beneath this new man's mask.

The calm _tak tak tak _of their steps over the wet stones of the path did little to distract Sakura, but she stared down at her feet nonetheless. She had no idea what she should think anymore. There was a strange disconnect inside her chest, where a white hot ball of emotion was sitting behind the shelter of her ribs. There was a tingle starting at the corner of her lips where Sasuke had touched the night before. To stem the urge to touch the spot, the kunoichi balled her hands into tight fists at her sides. The slight variation it caused was reflected in her footfall which was obvious to her, and she noted with a glance at her teammate's back, to Sasuke as well.

Of course he'd noticed. For some reason, the curt thought sent her mind reeling. It was impossible for Sakura to diagnose just what she felt rising in her chest at that moment. She felt like she was both burning and freezing. Like the sensations buffeting her skin: the soft breeze, the rasp of her clothing over her skin, were aggrivating her condition--but at the same time she felt numb. As if her nerves were haywire, relating conflicting signals to a mind already turbulent with her thoughts. Squinting until her eyes were screwed shut, she let her feet find the path by touch and instinct rather than sight. She felt the slow drag of air into her nose and down, down, down before releasing the breath a moment later than was natural. Anything to distract whatever feeling was coming to a crescendo behind her eyes.

Pressing a finger into her aching temple, she tried to reason with herself. There was nothing she could do if she dwelt on whatever it was that had passed between she and Sasuke the night before. He'd offered her somthing, she knew. Some clue into what was happening behind the fortress of his black gaze. But it was an enigmatic statement at its plainest and a heavily veiled compliment at its most optimistic. And his near kiss...?

Sakura gasped as the toe of her sandal caught on the uneven earth of the path. Catching herself awkwardly, she winced. The whisper of linen on linen made her glance upward to where Sasuke stood still a few meters ahead. He was half turned, his battle-honed awareness seemingly masked by a thin veneer of ennui. Dark hair slanted to partially shadow one eye as his head tipped in a faintly mocking condideration of her hunched position.

Straightening so quickly that her muscles protested, Sakura tilted her chin upward and bravely held his stare. For a scorching second she nearly blurted a demand that he explain his actions if he didn't like her distraction. But before her lips could run away from her good sense, the kunoichi steeled her rambunctious nerves and set her mouth into a firm line to rival Sasuke's.

As he resumed his pace and turned to face fully forward, a low hum that might have meant a dozen things floated back to Sakura's ears. Dragging in a deep breath and huffing it out just as quickly, the med nin just set her features and set her feet back to walking. For a moment, Sasuke's mood had flickered from whatever synthesis of boredom, annoyance and anger that it had hovered in since she'd reunited with him to something more like the carefully hidden amusement and patience it had once been.

Tightening her jaw until her teeth felt strained with the pressure, Sakura gave in and mulled the events that had transpired so few hours before. He wanted her to hold to her profession of love? Was that what he meant? He was angry that she'd bonded with Naruto? No, that wasn't right. He'd reacted to the way she'd worded it; that she said she'd chosen to care so heavily for the teammate who'd stood by her. He'd insisted that he hadn't been granted that luxury. He'd wanted to stay? That wasn't true! He could have stayed and grown stronger with she and Naruto! Liar, liar, LIAR! He'd chosen the path of least resistance. The easiest path to power with Orochimaru, despite the damage it had obviously dealt his soul.

A low growl fell from her lips at the thought. Then a vision flitted into her mind's eye, so vivid she inhaled sharply. Sasuke's dark eyes, so near to her own that she saw the faint hints of blue that made them more cobalt than onyx. She'd never noticed before, but then she'd never been so near. He was staring down at her with something like desperation. Like he needed to see something, like he was looking for something that refused to be found. His mention of the night he'd left echoed in her ears.

_He wanted the Sakura he'd left behind._

If the revelation hadn't robbed her of breath, Sakura could have screamed. Or laughed. Maybe both, in some sort of hysterical mixture that would double her over with its force. All this time, all the hard work...and he wanted the annoying little child he'd left crying even in unconsciousness on that damnable bench. Well wasn't that pathetic? Wasn't that ironic?

He'd been punishing her for her differences since they'd met up again, she realized now. For her confidence. For her persistence. For anything that didn't rhyme with her previous hero worship. His eyes had even darted to her shortened locks when he'd noticed them, even despite his anger over the receipt. It had begun to grow long, as it had been when they were young.

Jaded, stained Sasuke wanted the pristine, naive little Sakura from his memories. He didn't want to deal with a matured, strengthened Sakura that had risen in his wake. A deep frown pulled her lips down caused a furrow between her brows. Her stubbornly dry eyes widened till she felt a burn begin at their outer corners.

Sakura swayed on her feet as the pieces came together for her, and it saved her miserable life.

A low, familiar whistle split the air so close to her face that she watched in morbid fascination as a sliver of her hair was flayed into oblivion. The ultra sharp kunai that had ruined the strand sailed on, thudding into a patch of dirt out of sight. Adrenaline swamped her overtaxed mind as battle consciousness conquered her emotional shock, muscle memory roaring to life as she rolled onto the balls of her feet despite her sluggish thoughts. Chakra routed itself to her toes as she exploded away from the open road and into the relative cover of the nearby forest.

Her fingers dug into the bark beneath their tips with no heed to the nerves that screamed at her tight grip. Green eyes, almost glossy with their clinical observation, traced the trajectory of the weapon in reverse. Without glancing to the weight that had settled on the bough above and to her left, she motioned crisply to the origin of the kunai. Sasuke's leap was silent as he dove toward the point she'd indicated.

Listening carefully to her surroundings and filtering out the _shink,_ _clink _of blade on blade combat, Sakura earned herself the millisecond that gave her the chance to drop away from the tree that had harbored her a full instant before it evaporated into a cloud of splinters. Working her hands through a fast seal, she summoned a pair of kage buushin before she even reached the forest floor. As one disappeared in a poof of smoke almost instantly, felled by a razor wire strung only feet to the true Sakura's right, the kunoichi felt her stomach turn. They'd walked into an ambush.

The crush of a fist against her lower back distracted her from thinking that over too deeply. Gasping and moving as best as she could with the massive impact, Sakura expected to hear the crunch of bones cracking. With misting eyes, she fisted her right hand and rocked her elbow back with as much force as she could manage. The sickly smash and fleshy resistance that met the blow was so satisfying that it _almost _lessened the pain radiating from the base of her spine. Sliding a bit with the rebound of her arm off of the significantly larger shinobi at her back, Sakura grunted with her effort to harness her body's momentum. Still at last, her eyes nearly crossed as they found the deadly glint of the razor wire she'd discovered a fraction of a second earlier, only a breath from the bridge of her nose. Dropping and swinging her body beneath the ultra fine blade, Sakura straightened again and caught sight of her opponent at last.

The stoic, pearly mask of a Hunter stared back at her from across the razor line. Surprise slowed her step toward her next position, alerting the nin and costing her a precious lead. Cursing herself under her breath, Sakura leaned backward to negate the jump she'd started and tensed her muscles until she became dead weight. Gravity gripped her body as she positioned her body into a drop kick. The familiar warmth of chakra lit her heel as she neared the ground, the earth the rose to meet her foot erupting in a massive spray.

The resulting dust revealed countless more wires that formed a neat hexagon around her position and criss-crossed over her head in a macabre version of a spider's web. She'd been goaded into a controlled battlefield of her opponent's making. A slow hiss drew her attention to the opponent that had alighted opposite her, perhaps three meters away. Dirt and small stones wheezed as a wickedly long, thin whip slithered over them. Following the sinuous shape back to its master's hand, Sakura felt cool inevitibility settle in her mind. She was most likely going to find herself of the recieveing end of that weapon and it was going to _hurt._

An earsplitting _crack_ rang out as the nin arched the leather back over his head then flashed it forward in a move so fast it defied comprehension. Twisting with dread, Sakura heard more than felt her skin split, even as she slid back toward the edge of the clearing. The warmth that always followed a heavily bleeding wound filtered into her conscience as she felt her right arm from the elbow to her fingertips become drenched. Gasping with the delayed sting and throb, Sakura desperately searched for her opponent. He'd disappeared.

A hiss found her ears as she cradled her arm into her hip. Eyes widening, she jumped aside, loosing only a bit of the sole of her sandal this time. A _snap _and the air a hair from the tip of her nose was split by the impossiby quick weapon. Blinking against the rush of wind stirred up by the attack, Sakura stumbled back and moaned as her thigh leaned into the deadly sharpness of a razor wire.

Just as she managed to master enough momentum to limp toward the center of the miniature battlefield, another heartstopping _crack_ resounded. Teeth bared, Sakura determinately wove her upperbody to the left. The whip flashed just above her shoulder, but she didn't allow herself to so much as breathe before ducking hard. Another _snap _and the whip appeared again, inches above her bowed head.

Ears tuned for the tell-tale whine of parting atmosphere that heralded the cruel weapon, Sakura slowly spun, eyes on alert. With three parts ingrained experience and seven parts sheer luck, Sakura's hand flew out to the left, grasping the length of leather that had been tormenting her. Snarling at the welt that sprang to life on her palm as a result, Sakura tightened her grip unitil her joints creaked and rocked her whole body into a mighty tug. Looping the slack length of the whip that flew toward her into a makeshift lasso, the kunoichi waited for the stunned Hunter to appear in her sights before giving another monsterous jerk on the weapon.

The grunt that was squeezed from the shinobi as his own whip constricted his ribs was enough to rouse a bit more chakra from Sakura as she readied her fist. Once the Hunter came into range, trapped within his whip, Sakura loosened a monstrous punch. Overcome by the force that split his mask into a thousand pieces, the Hunter tumbled head over heels toward a wall of razor wire.

That was it? Sakura's brilliant mind stuttered. She'd knocked out a Hunter nin? Was it a trick? No, she realized as he continued to fall headlong in that boneless way that only the dead and KO'd could manage. She'd done it! She'd concentrated all of her pent of frustration, rage and ability on the nin that had threatened her! And, she thought as she watched him tear toward his razor lines, he was not going to live to regret it.

Realization slammed into Sakura's gut as she watched the nin tumble toward death of his own making. Without another consideration, the kunoichi leaped into pursuit. The unconsciousness she'd caused with her right hook turned out to be the biggest problem. Catching up to the Hunter's flailing dead weight was easy enough, but stopping it nearly cost Sakura dearly. Her uninjured arm wrapped tightly around the man's chest anchored him to her, her heels digging desperately into the terrain ripping by beneath their combined flight.

Dropping the Hunter once she was sure he'd slip beneath the wire, Sakura held her breath as she fell back onto her tail bone and dragged to a slow stop without time to flatten herself completely. At last she was still, and seconds ticked by before she could breathe again. Thick drops of blood slid down her nose and past her tightly closed eyes as she sat in stunned disbelief. She had stopped at what was_ literally_ the last possible instant. Her forehead was actually split wide from the line that had nearly ended her life.

Allowing her upperbody to drop backward listlessly, the pinkette felt the last remnants of her adrenaline ebbing away from her limbs. Shakes and spasms began to set into the strained muscles as Sakura fought to control her breathing. The over-loud _plop plip plop _of blood dripping from the wound on her brow filled her ears as she mustered the chakra necessary to heal what ailed her. As the familiar warmth trickled out from her core, Sakura noted a flicker on the periphery of the web of razor wire. Dark fabric and feline grace reaffirmed her suspicions.

Sasuke.

He swung his kusanagi with a lazy sort of grace and the wires fell away harmlessly, not even slowing his progress. Watching the glittering lines flutter toward the forest floor with undue fascination, the medic wondered belatedly if she was in shock. The even, unhurried cadence of her teammate's footsteps as he first investigated the fallen Hunter, then paced toward her side, interested Sakura more than tracking his expressions. As it was, she missed the ghost of surprise that backlit his darker than black eyes as he focused at last on her dazed face.

"Sakura." It was more statement than question.

But his cool utterance of her name did little to lift the fog of disconnection that plagued the kunoichi. As she rolled her head to the right to consider him at last, Sakura decided that _no_, she wasn't in shock...She realized that as she studied her one time love's face. There simply was nothing to be said. No course of action that was logical after the realizations she'd made and near-death experiences she'd just endured.

Rather, she was silent.

_Speechless._

_

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**I'm not dead! Just in college.**

**And before anyone asks: This is NOT the final chapter. (The plot twists are still a-comin'), Sakura is NOT mute. (She simply is overloaded at the moment with all that's happening.), and I AM introducing Madara into this plot (eventually).**

**Tune in next time for what's happening in Konoha, Tenten's condition and ITACHI AT LAST! Oh, and Sasuke / Sakura interaction, of course.**

**Reviews are lovely. Thank you for reading. **

**-BGA :) **


	24. Grey Green Part One

**Grey Green**

**Part One**

* * *

Kakashi rendezvoused with his ANBU team precisely eight hours post speaking to the Yamanaka heiress, true to his word.

He and an additional pair of shinobi had departed Konoha in the darkest part of the night and were still travelling at dawn when something caught the Copy Nin's interest. A medium sized shadow was coalescing in the deep shadows among the thick boughs to his immediate left. The thick canopy's shifting leaves and the silent but not all together weightless presence of the team of ninja made the branches in their immediate vicinity shift subtly.

But Kakashi's honed sense of perception insisted something was off. The patch of dark was weaving nimbly alongside the trio just a fraction of a second off from the regular pattern the dipping of the branches they were travelling over. From the wizened man's perch at the back of the team it was increasingly evident as he studied the anomaly.

Pausing for an instant longer than strictly necessary before propelling himself onto the next tree, Kakashi felt his sole visible eye widen as he finally identified the shifting shape for what it was.

A crow.

A flash of two red eyes later Kakashi felt his gaze snap open and a voice from the past lilted to his ears.

"Hello, Kakashi. We have a situation to discuss."

* * *

A low, persistent beep made Tsunade start. She groggily picked her head up from its uncomfortable position on the worktop, blinking steadily. A thick sound gritted from her throat as she cleared it and rubbed sluggish fingers over her cheek. It did little to rouse her and less to erase the ridges left on her skin from the uneven surface she'd drifted off upon. Huffing in irritation when no further sound met her ears, Tsunade settled once more. The sannin felt herself leaning, eyes closed, onto her propped-up palm in a pose more precarious than comfortable.

The tone bleated again. One bleary eye popped open zeroed in on the source of the sound though Tsunade's head did not move from its awkward perch. The tawny orb widened and the Hokage straightened considerably when she identified the annoyance. Konoha's medical unit was paging her--urgently. With a curse and flurry of half-completed paperwork, Tsunade found her feet and began moving quickly for the doors.

Three minutes of travel passed in a blur as she sped toward her destination: the hospital's elite ops unit. The chaotic buzz of civilian visitors and numbers of staff members milling about thinned rapidly as she came close to the small corner of the facility.

Sterility veered into maddening, sheer whiteness as she drew nearer. The rest of the medical center was clean, surely, but the stillness that plagued the ANBU's unit was eerie. The air was nearly a veil, sheer but persistent in its stasis. Where the rest of the hospital possessed a level of nervous energy the elite ops sector was utterly static.

The fact that the Captain of the squad, whomever it was who had summoned her, bypassed the ANBU medics assigned to their cell was surprising. Whatever the injury Tsunade was expected to attend must have been particularly severe. And, as the door to the first occupied exam room opened, the Hokage was unpleasantly proven correct.

Neji Hyuuga was staring her down from behind the gurney in the center of the space. His bloodless face was almost the same hue as his clan's distinctive eyes. The telling pallor on the normally stoic man's face was not half so unbelievable when she caught sight of the reason for her summons.

A battered body laid face down on the bed, head turned toward its Captain. From the slightness of the build and tangle of long, dark hair pouring off the near side of the gurney, Tsunade gathered that it must have been a female. When she stepped closer, she finally spotted the porcelain mask clenched in the young prodigy's hands: its smooth features and round ears identified the occupant of the bed as Neji's partner. Tenten.

Chakra flared and poured down to Tsunade's fingertips as she finally stepped up next to the fallen kunoichi. She almost gasped as she realized just how low the elite nin's vitals had dropped. Immediately, she began to run her hands over the most severe lacerations. As they began to knit, she assessed the muscular damage as best as she could. There were countless superficial wounds, and she estimated numerous fractures. And that was just her rib cage and left arm. Hovering one hand over Tenten's spine, she prayed that she wouldn't find what she feared.

When the answering pulse of Tenten's chakra reached her seeking palm, Tsunade felt her eyes squeeze shut in dread. The kunoichi's back was worse than she'd first assumed.

Locking gazes with Neji she kept her features hard and voice authoritative as she spoke. "You need to leave."

Dropping one hand to stained gurney near Tenten's hip, the Hyuuga didn't speak.

A snarl formed over Tsunade's lips as stress began to weigh onto her shoulders. She couldn't work over the kunoichi and worry about her AWOL Captain-lover-partner-_whatever _at the same time. Rather than push the issue at the present, she turned and barked over he shoulder for more orderlies.

As the various medics and aides she'd called began to file into the small room, she sent Neji a pointed look. Space was at a minimum and if he wanted optimum care for Tenten, he needed to apply a little logic and back _off_. Numerous machines and instruments where wheeled in and the room seemed to contract even further.

The Captain moved at last. But the Hyuuga wasn't quitting the room entirely. Rather he shrank back into a corner and simply watched with eyes that were for once seeing too much.

Samehada was a cruel weapon, Neji thought. Not only had it torn Tenten's flesh to an extent that he was unsure if her muscles could be completely repaired--it had attacked her chakra meridians. Trapped within his own kaiten, his activated Byakugan had watched as the blade devastated the pathways it contacted. The trip back to the Konohagakure had been torturous as he felt Tenten's small, intense reserve of chakra ebb. Fists clenched, Neji fought the urge to reengage his Byakugan now. His grip on his emotions was tremulous and seeing the extent of the damage would do nothing to help it.

Hours must have passed without Neji taking any note. He was still standing, as motionless as he was physically able, when Tsunade finally turned to him. The movement snapped him back to the present. He noticed fleetingly that the other personnel had evacuated, taking some of the trays with them. The room was almost bare again, aside from himself and the Hokage. The expression on the sannin's usually placid features when he finally looked back to her made his stomach twist.

Once she caught his gaze, she simply shook her head once from right to left.

The Captain felt his heart stutter. His body lurched forward, limbs laden with fear and disuse as his Byakugan roared to life. She wasn't dead. She _couldn't_ be. He would have known. He would have felt her slip away. His clan blood-limit engaged, he watched with desperation as her chakra lines fluttered weakly. At times, some meridians were completely black. She wasn't gone, but it was a close thing.

Tsunade raised her hands as he approached, as if to ward him back. Her voice was suspiciously thick as she hurriedly told him, "She's alive. But-" The Hokage paused momentarily as Neji brushed past to stand at the edge of the gurney. Pressing one hand to her forehead as she watched him hover over her patient, she forced the words to pass her lips. "Her back was damaged extensively. Her spine, muscles, the chakra routes..."

"_How long_?" Neji's voice was so carefully controlled that Tsunade could have called it thin.

She breathed deeply before replying, "I can't say. Days. A week at best. I can't imagine how she held on this long without treatment. Every conceivable measure will be be taken to make it--"

"There is..._nothing_ more that you can do?"

Lips pressed tightly together, the sannin considered her words very carefully. "Any further procedures would most likely prove detrimental. As it stands, she will most likely not regain consciousness. If I were to continue, it would only put undue stress on her system. You would," Tsunade's voice wavered for a moment, "Would...most likely lose her sooner. The probability that anything I can do would be successful is virtually nil."

Neji had never understood the need of others to avoid eye contact when faced with a difficult situation. Now the hard white floor beneath his feet was hypnotizing. Thoughts tripped over one and other as they raced through his head. There had to be _something_. His voice was grave when he finally raised his head to consider the misty-eyed Hokage. "What about the surgery that repaired Lee's chakra lines?"

Tsunade dipped her chin as her face heated with some influx of emotion. "It isn't her chakra being disrupted that is causing her...condition. Her body was so battered, compiled with the blood loss and lack of immediate care. You two were too far into the field." A pregnant pause passed slowly before she felt the need to add, "There was little you could have done, Captain Hyuuga."

Tsunade was about to say more when Neji's legs went out from under him. Rather than catching himself as she was sure he was able, he hit the linoleum hard. His bleak face didn't so much as flicker with the pain the sannin was sure he felt. Shocked, Tsunade saw him brace his forearms and brow against the bed near Tenten's face.

Before her wide eyes, Neji seemed to change. The proud man's shoulders shuddered and a heavy sound slipped from the depths of his chest. His large hand inched toward Tenten's pale, slender one only to freeze just short of contact. The Hokage watched a fine tremor begin in the Hyuuga's once steady bearing until his whole form seemed to loose some of its omnipresent rigidity.

Head hung low, Tsunade began to leave the pair. There were medicines to order, a file to annotate, nurses to inform. A thousand things that she could distract herself with to allow the two their time.

But at the sound of her retreat, Neji pulled his gaze from his partner. His eyes seemed lavender against the red that had begun to rim them. The long hair he usually kept so carefully was in disarray and his skin was a paler shade than white. She hardly recognized the man staring up at her from the floor as the prideful Captain whom she occasionally briefed. The sight held her frozen.

For a long second, both parties were silent. Then Tenten shifted slightly, body quaking as her compromised muscles failed. Grasping her hand at last, the young clansman visibly started when she moaned in pain before settling with unnatural stillness.

Tsunade hardly trusted her voice as she began before Neji could react, "Anything I do will only shorten the time-"

"If what you said was true, she will die either way." His voice fell to a whisper. "Do what you can. All of it."

"You were both ANBU. Along with that honor comes-"

"Do _not _speak as though she is already dead." A growl worked its way up from Neji's crumpled form as he continued, "I am her Captain. I should have gotten her back to Konoha more quickly. She should never have engaged the Akatsuki or been within my kaiten. I take full responsibility-"

"Regardless of where the blame lies," Tsunade interrupted, "She is an elite operative. It is more than likely that she has a standing order for situations such as these. She is unable to consent to any further procedures. That falls within the stipulations of a request against further resuscitation. I am sorry, Captain Hyuuga. I will not selfishly cut her time short for a method that is, in my professional opinion, not at all likely to work."

Neji erupted onto his feet. "**There is no such order for her**." His chest heaved as he staved off his emotional response and began again. "She has no kin._ I_ approve further treatment. Get me her damned file. _I_ am listed as her primary contact." He instinctively squared his stance as if ready to do battle. "_I am all she has_."

To Tsunade's jaded ears, he more said _Tenten is all I have_, but she remained stonily silent.

His voice cracked as he appealed further. "She is in pain. There are routes you have not taken. If she is--" He rocked back onto his heels and reached blindly back toward where the fallen Tenten lay. When he touched her hand once more, he composed himself. His old mask of calm indifference was in place as he began again. "If she is to die, it will be with my full assurance that _nothing_ more could be done. **Nothing less is acceptable**."

Moments ticked by as the two stood locked in a battle of wills. Tenten moved after a strand of tense minutes, groaning as her body protested but not truly waking. The imposed stoicism fell from Neji's face. Something broke behind his eyes.

"_Please_."

The word seemed foreign from his lips. Damn it all, her emotions had no place in this matter. But as her eyes washed over the wan form of the once imposing shinobi, Tsunade felt her resistance buckle.

Hardening her features, Tsunade hissed, "**If** she survives, she will never be able to use her chakra again. Do you understand that? She'll no longer be ANBU. Not even a _kunoichi_. Whatever hurt her-"

"I do not care."

"But will **she**?" Another tense moment and Tsunade strode toward the hall against her better judgement. After bellowing for assistance and a lengthy list of supplies, she leaned back into the private ward.

She answered her own rhetoric with a furious wave of her hands. "For _your _sake, you had best be damn sure there's no order against this in her file." Sepia eyes alighting on the form on the gurney, she amended, "Not for my personal or professional integrity but for her. This decision-"

"Fell to me. I will _not_ let her die in misery."

Tsunade glared. She wanted to protest. She wanted to wail that there were a thousand medications she could start that would make the passing painless. True misery was the extraneous procedure with an abominable margin for success that he was demanding. But the steely look that had entered the Hyuuga prodigy's mien was undeniable. If he wanted to rob Tenten of a painless, honorable death as a kunoichi of high rank than so be it.

Yanking the door open with such force that it nearly came away from its henges, Tsunade pointed furiously into the hall. "Get out of my hospital."

She knew it was futile to banish the man from the clinic. He'd simply perch on a nearby building and watch with his blood-limit. It was therapeutic nonetheless. Tsunade didn't want to be held responsible for what she might have done to the man if he had remained within arm's reach.

Once he had disappeared, the Hokage paced to her patient's side as she waited for her assistants. Sighing and dropping one hand to the tangled fall of chestnut hair that cascaded over the edge of the bed, she whispered, "I don't know what possessed you to leave that man in charge of your care...No, I suppose I do. He means well. But I still think he's a fool to do this to you, pretty girl." Straightening as the door opened and her help arrived, Tsunade murmured, "Now, pull through and prove me wrong."

* * *

Sasuke enjoyed silence. It was rare for him to come by, he mused.

He seemed to be cursed to be accompanied by at least one out-spoken nin at any given point in his career as a shinobi. The names Naruto and Suigetsu breezed through his mind with little prompting. Sakura had been equally irritating in the past; always bickering with their third teammate.

More recently she'd been almost admirably recalcitrant. Unless she wanted to talk about something. Usually it was a topic which he deemed off limits. _Then_ she put their blond compatriot to shame. Not with volume or obnoxious demeanor, but then Sasuke wasn't even completely convinced that was possible. No, she had developed a propensity for logic and paired her considerable intelligence with a well of persistence he hadn't realized she possessed. It was...annoying.

But the self-imposed silence she'd begun after the Hunters' attack was unbearable.

The first week of travel following the attack had passed quickly. Their speed had graduated from a nearly leisurely pace to one that verged on break-neck. He had been distracted with the new urgency he found forced upon him. The days had blurred together and sleep was becoming rare.

Thus he'd given little thought to what was happening behind Sakura's darkened gaze. Any trivial questions he had about their stays were answered succinctly with a nod or gesture. Meals were an almost disturbingly quiet affair. Nights were the worse, however. In the short time between when she laid down and he took up vigil she had always chattered. Even when they were Genin.

He had forgotten the practice until she'd joined his new cell. It was just nonsense talk to fill the little lapse between her waking and sleeping hours, but it was a habit to which he had grown accustomed. She would detail to herself what she need to do the next day, from restocking supplies to refolding rumpled spare clothing. Her voice would soften to nothingness and her even breathing would overtake it, and Sasuke would know that she had fallen under the pull of sleep.

Now he sat in a rented second-storey suite in Grass country, watching Sakura bustle about without a word of self-directed babble. And it bothered him. He felt a frown begin in his brows and a tightness in his jaw. Pressing away from his post at the door to the bedroom he'd claimed for himself, he strode into the small sitting room where Sakura was taking inventory of her packs.

She had shoved a low end table away from the foot of the short love seat she'd perched upon and spread her meager belongings on the floor. Her clinical gaze was darting here and there, lips working but no sound emerging as she took mental note of the array. Next, slim fingers worked through her secondary medical bag, deftly feeling out discrepancies in the levels of stores there. Still she did not speak.

Coming to a stop at the periphery of the mess on the floorboards, Sasuke stared at the pinkette's crown until she looked up. Arms crossed, he considered her for a moment. Her features seemed drawn in a way that they hadn't been before. Dark eyes narrowing, the Uchiha wondered what had transpired between she and the Hunter she'd battled. He had arrived as quickly as he was able, but there was no accounting for what might have been said, unless of course he asked.

"What happened."

His words were delivered with such a deliberate manner that Sakura blinked once before understanding his implication. So he had noticed her silent strike. Tilting her head forward to look down at the pack in her lap, she refused to make eye contact as she simply shrugged once and shook her head in the negative.

Footsteps drew nearer and he spoke again. This time with more emphasis than nonchalance. "Sakura. I will not ask again."

Stilling her motions, Sakura closed her eyes and breathed deeply once for composure. She wanted to point out that he had, as he most often did, made more of a statement than posed a question. And managed to be atrociously vague while he did it. Pursing her lips and clearing her throat, she spoke for the first time in days. "I won."

She was being deliberately abrasive, he decided. Her voice was almost raspy with disuse and she was still studying some point over his shoulder rather than addressing him directly. Something had occurred between the ambush and their arrival here. He was determined to find out what that was.

"And your behavior?"

That actually sounded like a question, Sakura noted acerbically. His persistence was uncharacteristic, but deserved she supposed. He probably assumed she'd been upset by something the Hunter might have said. Wouldn't do to have an emotionally unstable medic, after all. To keep her mind from wandering too far from her control, the kunoichi began to repack her bags.

Once she'd settled on what she wanted to say, she began in an even tone. "I have done as you asked and completed any duties assigned." Before she could stop herself she tacked on, "I apologize if the lack of fawning has offended you."

Cursing her own mouth, Sakura felt the tube of burn ointment in her hand begin to give as she squeezed impulsively. She could have done without the extra commentary. It was in her best interest to play out this interaction with minimal allusion to her epiphany. That was a conversation she wasn't particularly fond of fielding. Especially with an evidently peeved Sasuke.

When he was silent for the remainder of her time gathering the scattered supplies, Sakura was left with little recourse than to stand and meet his gaze. Maybe if she could make it to her half of the suite, she'd be able to avoid him until the next morning. Raising to her full height, the kunoichi grabbed up the twin packs and slung them over one shoulder.

As she glanced up, she began, "I'll take second watch. Good-"

Sasuke had moved nearer while she was distracted with standing and collecting her bags. His dark eyes barreled down his aristocratic nose at her as he stood hardly a foot away. The second part of her parting phrase trailed of into nothingness under his heavy regard. Taking a half step backward, Sakura made to circle around the other side of the short sofa she'd just vacated.

He simply leaned forward and pinned her in place with another enigmatic look. "Explain."

Fed up with his curt relentlessness, Sakura snapped, "I'm almost a Jounin now." She almost added _Take that as you will_ but decided against it just before the words passed her lips.

The slight rise of his brows told her that hadn't been what he was expecting. But Sasuke must have seen the slip and made a low sound to demand the further dialog she'd censored.

_Perfect_. She was perpetuating the very conversation she didn't want to have. Sakura could felt her teeth click together as she forced herself to find some semblence of calm before she assembled a response. There was really nothing left to do to distract him from the topic. He'd only become more suspicious.

But the more she searched herself for the words she wanted to say--the ideas she wanted to express, the more frustrated she became. Double meanings to throw him off the decidedly angsty train of thought her mind was taking weren't making themselves available. She couldn't fabricate the sort of plays on words that she needed to direct the conversation, no matter how hard she grasped for them.

Emotion started to override sense and Sakura tried to reel herself in to little avail. The words she wanted to say had already started. He'd prodded a response from her and now she was going to let him in on just what was weighing on her mind. Her hand tightened around the linen straps of the packs on her shoulder. Focusing on the burn of friction as the fabric was smashed in her fist, she broke her eyes away from Sasuke's.

Her eyes glued themselves to a point somewhere in the middle ground behind Sasuke's shoulder. Then a dam shattered somewhere in the back of her throat. Words and half-formed ideas that had been beating at her subconscious for weeks poured out in a torrent.

"I changed! So what? I mean, it's not like you haven't changed as well. Because you have. But that's okay. I get it. You chose your path. Now you can't go back on it. Or back to Konoha. _Supposedly_. That's what you tell me. _Fine_. Keep the stupid keys and tell yourself that it's because you _wanted_ to go back, but couldn't."

Eyes narrowed to mere slits, she continued. "But do **not **presume that I'm going to be the same person you walked away from back there. You don't get that little bit of reassurance."

She leveled her index finger at his chest and pressed it toward him as she summarized. "I changed. I got stronger. I grew up. _And I'm not sorry_. So I'm **NOT** going to pretend to be that useless little girl so you can pretend you're still the boy I fell in love with!"

Gasping at the words that had just flown from her, Sakura clamped one hand to her throat and another to her mouth. A faint sort of unease began to pool low in her belly. All the subconscious worries she'd been stumbling over for weeks had decided to air themselves in a single moment.

Every seemingly fragmented train of thought that had swirled in her mind now fit neatly together.

She was so sick of wondering when it came to Sasuke. The topics had been spinning endlessly in her mind. Was he anything like the boy she'd known? Why had he chosen her?

She couldn't assure herself even a fraction of the time that the man she'd been travelling with for months now was even reconcilable with the first love she'd once known. He was there, sometimes. Other times the man who had become her teammate was a stranger. They had both grown apart, evolved into something other than the children they'd been as Genin.

As far as he was concerned, she was still as useless now as she had been then. He had seen differently now, of course, but when they'd crossed paths in that little nowhere town...

Sasuke stared across the short space between them for what seemed like a small eternity, his face betraying nothing. She knew he wasn't going to answer as to why he'd chosen her. That arguement had already come to a head with naught to show for it.

Sakura stared back into eyes filled with something nameless and hopeless. To her green gaze, it seemed that Sasuke was adrift in his own depth. Like he was trying his best to function in the present and for all the world as if her outburst had only served to set him further back. He looked _lost_. Even if he'd mastered the expressions of his face, nothing could disguise his thoughts from reflecting into his inky gaze. Not from her.

She wanted to tell him a thousand things. Comfort him or maybe provoke him. Anything to make him refocus into the intense, powerful being she knew. She wanted to watch him straighten his shoulders like he always did after a blow to his physical body and affect that aristocratic air that made him _the_ Sasuke Uchiha. This quiet uncertainty made her feel as lost as he seemed. The Sasuke she had known--her mind whirred to a stop.

_What?_

In that instant she felt like a hypocrite. Sakura felt her stomach dip toward her bare toes. Her eyes didn't stray from Sasuke's as she wavered.

She'd been so angry when she realized he wanted the Sakura he'd once known...when all along she'd been searching for the very same side of Sasuke. How fortunate for Sasuke that he missed Genin Sakura. She was feeling as naive as the girl she'd once been in the present.

When he'd asked her what she remembered of his last night in the Village, she'd realized that Sasuke was in some measure still the boy she had known. He'd pressed a kiss against the corner of her mouth and she hadn't been able to think for it. It had stopped her mind in its tracks.

All the hours she'd spent mulling her thoughts over the Uchiha and she'd never addressed why she seemed so bent on comparing the man she was interacting with with the boy she'd loved. Or what it meant if she found that boy. What loving that boy would do to her now that she had found him behind a jaded mask.

Despite any logic, Sakura still bled for the sadness she found in Sasuke's eyes. When she'd pulled him close that night, before he'd dipped his face to hers, she'd known that. Her mind had been spinning and it had taken this long to settle. But it was as undeniable. All her anger, all her sadness was forgotten when he'd allowed her that single glimpse into the fortress of his mind.

She still loved him.

She wanted to curl into a ball and disappear. Berating herself in every manner foul and fair that she could conjure, Sakura began to shift her weight. One foot cleared the hardwood it had been frozen upon, tracking slowly back to begin a rapid retreat.

A creak of floorboards and a slow blink of those onyx eyes told her that she wasn't going anywhere. His gaze seemed to regain some measure of his characteristic self-possession as he spoke at last.

"_Wait_."

* * *

**Next chapter: Sasuke will say his piece. Itachi's cryptic interaction with Kakashi will come to fruition. Tenten's health will be addressed. The method behind Sasuke's frantic travel habits and his whereabouts during the Sakura / Hunter nin scene will be revealed. **

**Thanks for reading. **


	25. Grey Green Part Two

**Grey Green **

**Part Two**

Tsunade stared numbly at her hands. The procedure that Neji had insisted so heatedly upon had, against the odds, been sucessful. Tenten would live. She would not, however, ever again be a kunoichi of Konoha in more than name.

Moving briskly to the sink at the back of the operating suite, Tsunade twisted the nobs until the flow was scalding hot. With a grimace at the pinkened water as it sluiced away down the drain, she began to regret. She should not have allowed the Hyuuga heir to railroad her into such hasty action.

Setting her tired hands onto the cool, dully gleaming counter Tsunade sighed roughly to herself. She flicked one last look at the somehow diminished form of her former-ANBU patient. Distantly, the medic began to recall what she knew of the young woman. Tenten had, for all intents and purposes , been a model nin-one who had been steadily climbing rank without the distinctions most ANBU possessed.

The pale thing lying only yards away, breathing shallowly had no clan affiliation. No bloodlimit, not even a surname. She had no extreme reserve of chakra to rely upon or a distinguished legacy of excellence as a ninja. Tenten had been something else. A civilian-born kunoichi who had achieved something like ANBU rank only to have it taken from her.

Tsunade knew the foremost blame belonged to an Akatsuki member who had crippled her chakra paths and shredded bone and muscle alike. As a hokage she reasoned that the young woman had accepted her mission, the subsequent altercation and the consequences of it too. But the result was no less bitter on her tongue.

Death might have been kinder for Tenten, Tsunade thought. Moving tiredly from the room, the medic could not find it in herself to give the order to notify next-of-kin. It was small of her, she acknowledged, but not beneath her. So she walked on, mentally preparing to bury herself in paperwork. Maybe then she'd banish the slowly building sense of guilt.

* * *

"_Wait_."

Sasuke wanted to swallow the word as it left his lips. Loaded as it was with a sense of _something_ that he couldn't or wouldn't name. Some emotion weighed the tense uttering until it was so heavy it dropped like a stone between them. The small space between them seemed charged. Electrified. Something in his gut told him this was a turning point. More so than anything they had said before.

They had both been looking backward until now. Searching in vain for someone the other had grown out of. And now?

_"I changed. I got stronger. I grew up. And I'm not sorry. So I'm **NOT** going to pretend to be that useless little girl so you can pretend you're still the boy I fell in love with!"_

Sakura had accused him so cuttingly. Had he been punishing her for being something new? Someone stronger than the slip of a kunoichi he had left behind stood before him now. He knew that. How could he not? He was _so physically close_ to the girl he thought he had known, only to be forced to see that she was someone older and wiser.

Sasuke was silent for long moments. He could not find a way to tell Sakura that he. . ._missed _young Sakura without belittling what she had become.

"I am not," he hesitated for the words that would convey what he meant, "disappointed that you have changed." He focused his gaze upon Sakura's as earnestly has he was able.

Her fey-green eyes searched his face rapidly, trying to catch any micro-expression that might hint what he meant.

Sasuke felt a foul curse build on his tongue. He had not wanted to be cryptic. But he stood overwhelmed by proximity and circumstance in equal parts.

The two Sakuras were incomparable in his mind. They were of two separate realms, divided by the years that played out between sun-soaked childhood and reluctant adulthood. The younger was a creature of light and laughter and _something_ else. Something that had half preserved the memories, gilding them into something more than they were. The bad or mediocre smudged in his mind untilgenin Sakura was something of a fairytale in his head. Delicate and finespun and impossible. Wholly innocent.

How could he reconcile that creature, harmless and naive, with the kunoichi who had felled a hunter-nin with his own trap? Sasuke watched her feminine fingers as they trembled in front of her lips where they had frozen in unvoiced realization. How could he confuse this Sakura with the child he had known?

Sasuke couldn't form the thoughts that spun in his mind. The thought that she was simply _not what he had expected_ felt like a slight to her. He had, in the brief respites he allowed himself, always entertained the thought that Sakura would at best become a chuunin. Bubbly, female and passable. Respectable without being overly laudable. It did not change the undeniable protection he extended her, or justify the worry he always seemed to bear for her. The imagined version of an older Sakura that had fluttered around the edges of his thoughts had simply been _nothing_ like reality.

"You're not as I expected." He knows they are the wrong words, even as he speaks them.

Sakura's expression draws and darkens. Her pink brows are dipped low as she crosses her arms, almost protectively, over her abdomen and she spits, "Yes, well, I lost my reverence for your opinion a _long_ time ago."

"I-" Sasuke felt his jaw creak as he snapped his mouth shut. He wasn't blurting anymore partially formed thoughts. Honesty seemed to negate his innate skill for making things cryptic or altogether misleading. So he plucked the first whole, honest thought that arrived in his mind and slowly enunciated, "I never lost my respect of yours."

Her features relaxed, far slower than they had shuttered, but the defensive front melted surely enough.

Encouraged, Sasuke forayed once again into an explanation. "I did not expect," he frowned and rallied, "I didn't consider that you would change at all."

Sakura's face was smooth as glass as she said without malice, "Time didn't stop when you left the Village, Sasuke."

He wanted to snap a surly reply. But Sakura wasn't being cruel, Sasuke knew. She just looked tired, boneweary of the emotions that were bearing down on them both. She had borne whatever the current between them was, alone, for far longer than he. She hadn't frozen it out, barred it from her thoughts like he had. Sakura had lived with whatever she felt for him _every single day _and for that, Sasuke respected her enough to reign in his temper.

Something heavy hit the floor and Sasuke vaguely registered that it was the nin-pack she had been clinging to for their entire exchange. Then he realized why. In the depths of his thoughts, he had listed forward. His brow was tipped against hers, his hands encircling her tense upper arms. Keeping her close. It was so hard to pin the essence of her down, he thought. But so easy to hold her in place.

The steady puffs of her breath grazed his throat and made him brave. Or reckless. Or both. "I know time didn't stop." Sasuke felt her breathing hitch and swallowed then repeated. "I am not disappointed that you changed." Tightening the grasp he had on her a shade, he confessed. "I regret that you had to, at all."

Because with young Sakura, Sasuke the avenger had a purpose. He could protect her, she could stare up at him with awe and they could be compatible in at least that way. But now? What use was he? She needed little protection and she had lost the headlong worship that had once characterized their interaction. It stung him to wonder when and how the change had taken place. Where had he been?

Why hadn't he felt a shift in the air? The thought was admittedly circular and whimsical and _useless_. But it did not keep Sasuke from wondering. When had the singular constant, true thing in his childhood changed and how could he not have known? Was he fighting or sleeping or reluctantly thinking of her in a quiet moment? The irony would be fitting. That the idolized copy of her might have been flitting about in his mind's eye when she had to lose the very innocence that he was remembering.

And how many close calls had come and gone? She must have bled and feared and cried without him. Without his physical presence and without his knowing. And, for the first time, Sasuke acknowledged that it _bothered _him. She had fought and might have died and he _never would have known._ Not for months or years, until he heard a stray word among shinobi or ran across a Konoha native or nin.

The now-familiar agitation that this new Sakura stirred inside him rose to new heights. It was frustrating. The restless energy that plagued him when he thought of all the faceless threats that she had faced down and defeated. _I know time didn't stop, I know your life went on and I hate it. I wasn't there and maybe you didn't even miss me. You were alone and vulnerable and- _

A ghost of a sensation skates along his jaw and Sasuke's eyes snap open. He hadn't realized that he had screwed them shut, but Sakura had. And, being Sakura, she had known just what to do to redirect him and head off the mounting anger.

For a moment, his boiling blood is forgotten. All Sasuke can see in the world are her tangled-at-the-corners lashes and _green_ eyes. They're falling out of focus and drawing nearer at once and Sasuke knows logically that it means he must be leaning down to her. He freezes. Because he knows this will only happen once and he can't fathom the idea that he might drive her away with it. This volatile concoction of emotions that have formed a catalyst for change. It's unrepeatable. Their tempers and egos and combined pride will never concede a second time.

This was that precipice that he had sensed. Where things would change for good, but not necessarily for the better. For a moment, Sasuke entertains the possibilty of moving away but he can't force himself to really consider it. Going back now is not an option. The past between them is worn thin. Now there is only the tenuous prospect of a future, one Sasuke would share with her if only she permits it.

Sakura can't hear for the beating of her heart or the rush of her breath from her lips. Sasuke is hovering just inches away and she isn't sure quite what to make of the curious quiet that has fallen over her mind. He is looking at her with mixed intention and hesitation. This time he is _asking_ and not taking, Sakura realizes. The kiss he means to give her isn't a branding, isn't demeaning or a pointed action to herd her thoughts. It is affection for the sake of it and he's giving her a choice to accept it or not. And that, Sakura thinks, makes all the difference.

She presses forward a scant inch. _This far, no further_. For once, she thinks, he will come to her.

And he does. Sasuke is there in an instant, and it's not like anything because it's _more_ than she might have ever imagined or hoped for. She can feel the simple pressure of his mouth over hers and the warm press of his hands at her waist. It's _right_.

The precarious bubble of emotion that had been trapped in her chest for as long as she had denied her feelings for Sasuke ruptured. Love requited felt like liquid sunshine rushing through her veins.

She's smiling into their kiss, Sasuke realizes. And it's _right_, not what he would have guessed but when had he ever been able to predict her? His thoughts are rushing together and losing coherency but he doesn't care. Because that's _Sakura_ sighing against his mouth. It's _Sakura_ looping her hands over his shoulders and pushing trembling fingers into his hair. Neatly trimmed nails are tracing nonsense patterns on his scalp and he could shiver. Then she nicks his ear lobe and he _does_.

A cascading ripple of feeling starts at his head and washes through his body to his feet. The contact is like a detonation.

He feels his restraint slip and in a flurry of motion, she's tugged off of her feet. Sasuke groans as he hitches her up by the sweet little tuck of her waist. Her hips are rounded and feminine just like the legs she wraps around him in response. His sense of space is probably a little skewered because he was aiming for the couch but he'll settle for the doorway. Sasuke knows he's pressing against her and maybe they're moving a little fast but he can't bring himself to pull away from her swollen-lipped kisses to say anything meaningful.

Sakura, for her part, is making up for lost time. Her hands are roving his features and contours and she wants to be able to reconstruct him perfectly in her mind with any given sense when she's finished. His shoulders are thick and sturdy like oak, his hands fine-boned and capable. Musk and pine and mint on his breath roil into something that is distinctly _Sasuke_ in her head. She's smiling and might be gasping little happy sounds as he moves on to her neck.

He seems to favor bare skin, Sakura thinks. He has run his heavy palms over every bit that's exposed on her upper body and is bent on exposing more. The brush of his fingertips at the hem of her shirt makes her squirm and tighten her grip on the hair at his nape. Sasuke interprets her permission and makes short work of raising the fabric to bunch over his wrists. Sakura is wondering if he's channeling his lightning nature or if the romantic _sparks_everyone is always gushing about are real when Sasuke jerks into stillness.

She knows in the same instant that he has found her scar. The one that her greatest victory brought her, Sasori's mark upon her body. Because even when you're a medic nin and even if you're trained by Tsunade herself, there is only so much Sakura could do after being nearly bisected. It's a raised ridge a couple of inches under her belly button, pink and pearly and only really noticeable in the right light. . .or by touch.

Sasuke is running his fingers over it, pausing then repeating the process. Almost as if he doesn't really believe it's there. He's dropped to his knees, originally to examine the anomaly further, but now it looks strangely repentant. His face is twisted with more than Sakura has seen from him in a long time. Anger, which isn't a foreign thing to his features and a more fleeting thing. Regret, she realizes. It's regret she sees flagging in his features as he stares at her scarred belly. He looks tragic, Sakura thinks. And it's sad that he looks so familiar with the whole idea of being sad and angry and helpless at once.

She can't stand to see him prostrate and crippled by ineffectiveness, so Sakura slides down to join him in kneeling. Silently she guides his hand to its twin on her back. She feels his breath leave him in a rush. His fingers are alternating between the faint scar and the bumps of her spine when he grits, "Who?"

"He's dead. I killed him." Her voice is calm but it does nothing to sooth Sasuke.

He simply presses his hand flatly over the old wound, as if to erase it willfully. Again, he demands, "Who, Sakura?"

She hesitates. But she knows with deep certainty that this isn't a matter she can sidestep with him. At last, she answers, "Sasori of the Red Sand. The blade was poisoned and I was drained of chakra." That explains her general shortage of additional scars, of course. She rarely was desperate enough to be at the dregs of her reserve at the close of a battle. But Sakura stops herself short when she begins to form an apology. She had won and she lived to tell of it and that was more than many of his other opponents could say.

Sasuke traces the scars once, twice more each then lets her shirt fall back into place. Without another word he gathers her and stands. As he turns and carries her to the bedroom, Sakura cannot help herself.

She looks directly into his dark eyes and whispers, "Sasuke-kun." _I love you with all my heart._

Sasuke nods with a conviction that he never thought he would possess again. He knows that she still loves him and it has altered something in him, shifted something in his chest that is probably his soul. She has lent him the light that he never knew he lost and he can only tighten his grip on her knees and slim shoulder in response.

She feels a warm breath shake free of his lips at her temple. The words are nearly lost to her pink tresses, but Sakura faintly hears Sasuke murmur, "I've missed that."

* * *

**Update! :D Not an uber long one, but it's mostly SS. Adding further after or before the SS felt wrong, so here it is.**

**Thanks for reading and hugs to my patient, amazing readers. **

**Reviews are lovely.**


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